The One Where Everything's Changed
by KateToast
Summary: Post-finale. Ross and Rachel are building a life together, Monica and Chandler are entering the world of parenthood, Phoebe and Mike are starting a family of their own, and Joey's off to L.A. Complete.
1. Starting Over

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Re-posting...again. I totally forgot that you couldn't post script form anymore, so now I'm re-writing this one into paragraph form, which means it's going to take awhile, though I already have the dialogue, so it's easier.

So, as it was before, lots o' fluff. If you read this before it got deleted, then you're going to find the same stuff as in the script form, except now you'll probably get more emotion and stuff. It's still mainly Ross and Rachel. This story also ties in with my other Friends fic, "TOW The Birthday Video", so you'll see some forshadow-ish things.

Yeah, I've babbled long enough.

**XXX**

**Two weeks after the series finale**...

Joey shifted the heavy bag on his shoulder and looked at his five best friends, plus an added husband and three children. Rachel was holding Emma and standing beside Ross, both still showing obvious signs of the fact that they had just gotten back together. Monica was watching him while Chandler leaned on Jack and Erica's stroller, looking at his son and daughter with something that resembled amazement; and Mike had an arm slung over Phoebe's shoulder. "You guys really didn't have to come," Joey said, trying to hide how glad he was that they did come to send him off.

"We just wanted one more goodbye, sweetie," Rachel said, getting teary.

Chandler cut in at that moment. "Do you know how many 'one more goodbyes' I've _observed_ this past week?"

Monica swatted him, then walked over to Joey and hugged him tightly. "Don't forget us when you're rich and famous in L.A."

Joey hugged her back, just as tightly. "Of course not."

Phoebe then stepped away from Mike, and took her turn to embrace her departing friend. "Remember to dedicate your first Oscar to me," she said, followed by a handshake from Mike accompanied by a, "Good luck."

Joey grinned slightly at the couple. Before he could even turn away, though, Rachel had launched herself on to him, grabbing him around the middle and holding on for dear life. "You've been so good to me, and Emma, these past few years. What am I going to do without you?" she said, extremely emotional.

Trying to smile, but failing miserably, Joey wrapped his arms around Rachel. "I'll keep in touch. And Ross is here to watch out for you two." This statement seemed to help her.

Ross finally pried Rachel off Joey and took his turn to say goodbye to his friend. "Thanks for everything, man. Take care of yourself." Now even he was getting choked up.

"I will," Joey replied, giving Ross an extra squeeze before extracting himself from the hug.

Chandler casually straightened himself from his leaning position, and walked over to his best friend. He and Joey stared at each other for a moment, before Chandler clapped a hand on his shoulder and said, "I really think this is it."

Joey looked at him, confused. "This is what?"

Chandler grinned broadly. "Your big break."

At those words, Joey could only smile. He grabbed Chandler in a bear-hug, neither letting go for quite some time. Monica sighed loudly, "Should we leave you two alone?"

Becoming a bit bashful, Joey and Chandler let go of each other. Joey turned and kissed a squirming Emma's forehead, then moved on and pat each twin on the head, before finally turning and giving his ticket to the waiting person behind the counter. He began boarding the plane as Rachel called out, "Call us when you get there!"

Giving a final wave, Joey said, "Alright. Bye, everyone," before he was gone.

The gang stayed there, staring at the spot their friend was just standing at. Chandler placed an arm around Monica's waist as Rachel leaned into Ross and Phoebe and Mike clasped hands.

Finally, Chandler broke the silence that had descended upon them with, "Well, at least _this_ trip to the airport ended with good results." He looked pointedly at Ross and Rachel.

Ross pulled Rachel closer to him. "Definitely. He's going to do so well there."

"I already miss him," Monica admitted, watching the twins sleep.

Phoebe looked back to where Joey had disappeared. "It's gonna be weird not having Joey around to make everything sound dirty," she said with the hint of a smile.

Another long pause hit them as they all reminisced. Mike prodded Phoebe after a moment, looking apologetic. "Sorry to ruin the moment, but we gotta get going if we wanna catch our reservation."

Rachel perked up, smiling at the two. "Oh, are you guys going out?" she questioned.

"We're going to a spa," Phoebe answered.

Monica looked perplexed at this. "But Pheebs... you're a masseuse. And I thought you didn't like chains?"

Phoebe nodded slightly and waved it off. "Yeah, yeah. I'm over that. Plus, I thought it'd be nice to be on the receiving side of the hands for once. Mike isn't too good at it."

Mike shrugged slightly, and the two made their exit as Jack started fussing. Chandler stooped down to look at the two. "We better get these two home, Mon."

Monica nodded and turned to Ross and Rachel. She hugged each of them in turn, before asking, "So you're sure you don't need any help moving stuff in?"

Rachel shook her head in the affirmative. "No, the things I had sent from Paris won't be back for a few more days, and then most of it is going to storage. Not everything can fit in Ross's apartment."

"Then we'll see you Tuesday for dinner?" Monica looked hopeful.

Ross smiled. "Of course. Now get your children home, _mom_." He emphasized the last word with a nod towards her family.

After flashing identical smiles, Chandler and Monica walked off, blending into the crowd that had accumulated during the long good-bye. Rachel and Ross watched until they were out of site, before Rachel shifted Emma in her arms and looked to Ross.

"So... everyone's gone," she stated.

Ross nodded. "Yup," was all he replied.

Once again emotional, Rachel took his hand. "Everything's changed now, huh?"

"Yeah, it is. But I think it's for the best." The two stood there for another moment, before Ross continued, "Let's go home."

**XXX**

Rachel left the kitchen through the swinging door that she had come to get so used to. Holding her daughter's hand, she guided the small girl into the living room, letting her plop down onto the floor and begin playing with some toys. Sitting on the couch, she took the moment of distraction to observe Emma.

At the moment, the child was throwing around stuffed animals of all kinds. Rachel noted that she really _did_ look like a small version of herself, as everyone always said. Yet, she was proud to state that Emma had her father's wonderful smile. It still amazed her that something so beautiful had been created by she and Ross. Their daughter was something that they would always share, no matter what happened.

Ross entered the apartment at that moment. "Hey sweetie," he said as he set down his briefcase and kissed Rachel, like this type of greeting had been happening every day between them for much longer than two and a half weeks.

Rachel smiled at him. "How was work?"

"Fine," Ross stated, hinting that he had more to say. Rachel nodded, knowing that he wasn't done. "I gave a student a 'D' on his paper and he told me I sucked. That kind of hurt."

"Right," she chuckled.

Ross sat down on the floor beside Emma. Rachel was once again hit with how great a father he was. "How was your day?" he asked.

Sighing, Rachel watched them play. "Emma certainly made it an interesting day when she hid in the closet and I couldn't find her." Ross looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, long story," she said, "And I? Did... absolutely nothing."

"You don't sound too happy about that," he pointed out.

"I know, it's just... I'm not used to not having a job, you know? I feel like I've traveled back ten years to when I didn't work and had other people do things for me."

"Then maybe you should get another one," Ross said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Rachel contemplated for a moment. "Get another job?" she said aloud.

Ross nodded and stood up while saying, "Yeah. Maybe-maybe you can call Ralph Lauren?"

Scoffing, she shook her head. "And beg for my job back?" After thinking it over again, though, she realized that he may be on to something. "I guess, maybe I will. But I think for at least a few more weeks I'd like to hang out with Emma. You know, do the whole stay-at-home mom thing."

"Honey, whatever you decide to do is fine with me," Ross said while taking her hand.

"Aw, you're so great. And thanks for letting Emma and I come back here."

Sitting beside Rachel, Ross waved off her comment. "Rach, you know you've always been welcome here." Now getting more serious, he plunged on, "And I was thinking that now... you could stay permanently." Worried, he continued before she could say anything. "Unless you wanna take things slow, which is perfectly fine with me. If you don't want to live here, then you don't have to. We can still get Joey's apartment back-"

"No, Ross, I want to stay here with you. This is it, remember? I'm stayin'," Rachel replied firmly. Softening, she went on, "And Emma's been moved around so much, I think it'd be best if we just stayed in one place. And what better place then with _both_ her parents?"

Ross smiled shyly, and leaned in close to her. Rachel caught her breath for a moment, still trying to get used to these moments that they share, that's so foreign, and yet so familiar.

"I love you," Ross whispered before kissing her.

"I love you, too," Rachel assured, knowing in her heart that she had never been more honest.

**XXX**


	2. Maybes

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: So the POV's are gonna go back and forth between Ross and Rachel, depending on who they're with. Thanks for the review(s).

**XXX**

Ross rang the doorbell outside his sister and brother-in-law's house, while Rachel bounced Emma in her arms. He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't just walked into Monica and Chandler's home. But, he reminded himself, they were living in this nice house now, no longer apartment number 20 in The Village in New York City.

Chandler came to the door with a smile on his face and a child in one arm. "Hey, guys," he said, sounding tired.

"Hey, man. Baby duty?" Ross entered along with Rachel and their daughter.

He sighed. "Well, Monica's working in the kitchen, and when I started to play a drum solo with chopsticks on a pot, she kicked me out." Chandler shook his head. "This time off from the restaurant has made her even crazier when it comes to meals."

"Chandler, you can come back in!" Ross grinned when he heard his sister yell from the other room, and followed his best friend to the kitchen to greet Monica.

Twenty minutes (and a very enthusiastic greeting between Rachel and Monica) later, the foursome sat to what seemed a feast.

Ross noticed Rachel admiring the room as they began eating. "Mon, I love this house," she said with a grin.

"It is nice, huh?" Monica replied, now also looking around. "Are-are you guys thinking of buying a house?"

Ross had _not_ expected this. He spluttered slightly as he wondered what Rachel was thinking. "Uh-I-uh." He glanced at his girlfriend. "Um, I don't really know. Do you mean... together?"

"Well, Ross, we didn't think you had a girl on the side," Chandler said teasingly.

Rachel just shrugged and smiled, her eyes twinkling. "I guess we'll see," she acknowledged casually.

Monica was almost bouncing she was so happy. "So you guys- you're official? You're really serious? 'Cause you know, we never know how it's gonna work out between you two!"

At this, Ross nodded. "Yeah, we're really serious." He knew he meant it; that he wanted this to be it.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you two!" Monica was near bursting, and turned to Rachel. "You're gonna be my sister-in-law!"

Rachel looked overwhelmed suddenly, which was how Ross felt at those words. "Okay, wait, uh..." she fumbled out.

A silence descended for a fleeting moment, before Chandler broke it. "Well, this isn't at all awkward."

Monica looked apologetic. "Sorry, I got excited. But uh, I can't help it."

"We know," Ross said, annoyed.

Yet another stillness rested between them, and the only sound Ross heard was clinking silverware. Never one for uncomfortable quiet, Chandler once again started talking. "So, have you heard the one about the Priest, the duck, and the newspaper?" At the questioning looks he got, he shrugged. "No?"

**XXX**

Rachel eased Emma's bedroom door shut as quietly as she could, but still managed on stepping on one of her toys that squeaked when you pressed it. She winced, then continued over to where Ross was sitting on the couch, using his laptop.

"I finally got Emma down," she mumbled as she lied back against the couch. Rachel felt exhausted from the day.

"Man, that took awhile," Ross said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Well, she was extremely fussy tonight. It must've been from going to Monica's." At this Ross looked at her, almost timidly.

"Yeah, Monica's..." he began slowly. "Listen, Rach, what she said about us..."

Not wanting to make a big deal about it, Rachel just waved a hand and laughed her best fake laugh. "Pretty funny, huh?"

"Yeah, heh," Ross joined in. Rachel could tell he was also forcing the chuckle. "But, uh, you know, a-a house wouldn't be too bad," he added, losing the laugh.

Rachel hadn't been anticipating this. She thought they'd just brush past it, as they used to always do. "Uh...huh?" She sat up quickly, so they were facing each other.

Ross became shy again. "Well, you know, if we're being all, uh, serious and stuff about 'us'..." He trailed off.

"You want to buy a house?" Rachel wasn't thinking straight, she knew. "To live in?" After it had come out, she wanted to smack herself on the forehead for saying that.

"Well, that's usually why people buy houses," Ross chuckled for real this time. "And I don't mean right now, but maybe as Emma gets older..."

Considering now, Rachel nodded sincerely. "A house could be nice." She thought about it some more, beginning to get more excited about the prospect. "Oh! And I could have a garden that I could take care of!" At Ross's eye roll and guffaw, she shrugged. "Or, you know, hire people to take care of."

The two pondered it longer. "Ross, I mean, do you think we'd be ready for a house?" Rachel continued.

"Well, we have lived together, and are doing so now, and we could use more space. And we love each other," Ross said, with so much heart that Rachel wondered how she could have never _not_ been in love with him.

"A house," she tried saying aloud. It didn't sound bad. "It's a pretty big commitment."

Ross took her hand and smiled at her, making Rachel want to melt. "Rach, we're ready for this. And I know that if I was gonna buy a house with anyone in the world, it'd be with you. I love you."

Completely turning to mush now, Rachel grinned back at him, though still deep down not quiet sure. "We could start checking the real estate page in the paper."

"Is that a yes?" Ross asked eagerly. At her nod, he kissed her. "Sweetie, this is great! We can really begin starting our new lives together."

"Let's not tell Monica yet. You never know what she'll say to this." Rachel loved her best friend, but sometimes the woman got a little...involved.

"I have a few ideas," Ross countered, and the couple laughed slightly, before Ross wrapped his arms around Rachel and kissed her fiercely.

**XXX**

Ross took a sip of his coffee slowly, relishing in the familiar taste. "Can you believe you guys have already been in your new house for over a month?" He looked to Chandler as the two sat on the orange couch in Central Perk.

Chandler shrugged. "I know, it's weird. Of course, with the twins, it seems like longer. But it still doesn't really feel like home."

Understanding that he missed the apartment, Ross nodded. "It will eventually," he assured.

Sitting in a comfortable silence, the two took this time to take in their surroundings. "Nothing's changed," Chandler said reflectively.

"Well, I did hear that they've added a new type of bagel," Ross informed him.

Chandler turned slightly so he was facing his best friend. "So, has Rachel called about getting her job back yet?"

"No, she wants to spend time with Emma for awhile." Ross had supported Rachel one-hundred percent on this, knowing she needed a break from working.

"Ah."

He waited a moment, then continued with a smirk. "So, are you guys gonna..." he nodded suggestively.

Ross had no idea what he was talking about. "Gonna...what?"

"You know: ding-a-ling!" Chandler said excitedly.

"Dude, what the hell is ding-a-ling?" Ross asked in confusion. Sometimes Chandler made no sense to him.

"Wedding bells!" Chandler said as if it were obvious. "They make that ringing sound!..." he continued. "Oh, forget it," he finally gave up.

Now getting what Chandler was talking about, Ross almost dreaded answering. "You mean are we gonna get married?" The words sounded weird, even though he had been married three times before, with one of those times being with the woman they both were speaking of.

"Yes. And now I wish I had just said that in the first place," Chandler responded dryly. "So?"

Ross thought about the subject for a moment. "Well, uh, I dunno. Probably, someday. There's just so much going on now already." He knew he just didn't want to rush anything with Rachel.

"That's true," Chandler agreed. "Then, of course, is the looming possibility of another divorce. But wait, you've divorced her once already..." he was chuckling by the end of his sentence.

"Yeah, let's bring up the three divorces now," Ross sniped. "We've only been back together for a month and a half," he added, almost trying to convince himself.

Chandler shook his head and sighed, becoming soft. "And you've loved her since high school. Where's the issue?"

Ross knew his best friend was right, but didn't want to think about marriage now; things were going too well. "I just wanna wait awhile, so we can get used to being... 'us' again," he finished lamely.

Nodding resignedly, Chandler took another sip of his coffee. "Alright, man, but remember what happened the last time you waited too long for something involving Rachel." Ross looked at him questioningly. "Italian guy," he said darkly.

Wanting to find a new topic that didn't bring back memories of that horrible time, Ross thought of their western-coast friend. "Have you heard from Joey lately?"

"Yeah, he called two days ago. I guess he's a news anchor for some small station around L.A."

Ross was a bit shocked at this. Joey had never seemed one for news. "I didn't even know he watched the news."

"He doesn't. But he _does_ read the comics section in the paper." Chandler shrugged. "I think they were pretty desperate."

"Guess so," Ross replied, gulping down the rest of his coffee.

**XXX**


	3. Considerations

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Updates will be whenever I can get them up, because I'm juggling this story, another story (not Friends), school starting, a job, and...well, real life in general.

**XXX**

"I love this," Monica said happily as she pushed the twin's stroller down the pleasant street, only a block away from the Bing's home.

Rachel walked beside her, pushing Emma in her own stroller. She looked at her best friend. "Love what?"

"You and me, walking like this," she replied as she nodded to their surroundings. "Just two moms, taking their kids for a walk in a friendly neighborhood. You could never do this in the city."

"It is nice," Rachel concurred. "And you can do it in the city, it's just much noisier, and there's a higher chance of someone yelling, "Get your lazy ass the hell outta my way," than here."

"I miss the apartment, but living here in our house has been such a good change." Monica sighed contentedly.

Rachel nodded. "Speaking of your apartment, I met the people who bought it a few days ago."

"Really?" Monica asked. "Are they clean?" She quickly changed the wording, "I mean, nice?"

Reflecting, Rachel thought of the new owners. "It's a couple in their late 40's, good people. They have a son who just went off to college. Oh, and, they're painting the place dark green."

"Wow," her friend said slowly. "It's, it's kind of hard to imagine someone else living there."

"I know." Rachel had been thinking of that exact same thing, except she did it at least once a day. It was still hard to get used to not having her best friends live a building away. "Sometimes," she began, "I look out the window thinking I'll see you and Chandler watching TV or something. And instead I get Bud and Laura, reading the paper."

Monica looked ahead silently, thinking. "Bud and Laura," she repeated. "The people living a life in my apartment have names."

"And they read the paper _a lot_," Rachel added, trying to help her friend feel better. Even though it was no longer their apartment, she herself had such ties and memories from it, that she still sometimes considered it Monica's.

They continued in silence for a short while, before Monica broke it by stopping. "I don't know why anyone would want to move out of this house, it's really cute."

Rachel stopped also and looked at what her friend was talking about. She glanced over the nice house; it's light-blue door, white shutters and cream-colored outside. It was a good size, too. What she really noticed, however, was the 'For Sale' sign in the front lawn.

"Yeah," Rachel agreed. "It's only a few blocks from your house, too."

The two began again at a leisurely pace. "Now, I know it's none of my business," Monica started, immediately tipping off to Rachel that she was going to ask something personal, "But how are you and Ross doing?"

Smiling involuntarily at the thought of her boyfriend, Rachel didn't mind talking about it at all. "We're great. At first it was weird, trying to get back into the groove of things, but somehow it all just comes together."

She looked back upon the first week of being back with Ross, and how different, and yet the same, everything was. When they had first gotten together all those years ago, neither had realized how bumpy their road would be. But after getting off the plane, Rachel knew that she wanted to stay with Ross forever, and that it had really always been that way; it had just taken the prospect of a whole ocean between them for her to realize it. It hadn't been hard to get used to sharing a home again with Ross, but it was different to share a bedroom, not to mention a bed. Once they had sorted things out and talked, the 'together' part of them just came naturally, like they hadn't only dated for a year, broken up, gotten drunk, married and divorced, had a baby, and fallen back in love, all in the space of ten years.

"I really love him," Rachel concluded.

"Good," Monica said. "Maybe soon you'll be able to rip up those divorce papers."

"What?"

"You know," Monica teased. Rachel was confused. "You and Ross are back together for good, from the way you guys say it, so aren't you planning on... marriage?"

Taken aback, and not sure herself, Rachel stuttered, "Well, uh, I guess, in a way, uh... maybe?"

"Maybe?" Monica shook her head. "'Maybe' is too vague! Are _you_ thinking about it?"

Once again thrown into thinking about the past decade, Rachel sighed. "Uh...sort of, kinda. I mean, before we broke up I definitely thought, I thought that that was it. But then we _did_ break up, but then we got married...and after that I guess I toyed with the idea. I thought about how nice it would've been if things hadn't been so complicated. Then when Emma was born I thought that maybe we were finally gonna get it all together, but then that got messed up too." Reflecting on these events made Rachel almost want to tear up. Had she really considered having a future with Ross that many times, only to not have it work out?

"But now...," she went on, "it's so real, you know? It could really happen."

"Do you want it to happen?"

_The million-dollar question_, Rachel thought. She left her best friend hanging for a minute while she contemplated. Was there a definite future to look forward to with him? Well, they were almost there already, since they were in love and had a child, and knew almost everything about each other. Marriage would just be the last piece of the puzzle she'd been searching for since she left Barry at the altar.

Did she really want to commit to Ross forever?

"Yeah," Rachel finally grinned. "I think I do."

Monica seemed to be ready to jump up and down. "This is just...amazing! And so great! You and Ross getting married would be incredible! Oh, I'd actually get to help plan another wedding! I mean you know how much I love those, and it's even better since it's you and my brother..."

Becoming a bit uncomfortable, Rachel nervously chuckled. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. He and I have barely talked about how we're going to split apartment costs, let alone marriage. But I do love him," she added at the end.

"Just promise me you'll let me know if anything big happens."

"I promise." Rachel felt horrible for lying, since she and Ross had decided not to tell anyone about them looking for a house. She still wasn't sure about the whole thing anyway.

"So what do you think Phoebe wants to talk to us about at lunch on Thursday?" she asked, trying to change the subject as the two women came upon the Bing's house.

**XXX**

Rachel looked around the table to her best friends as they talked and joked. It was so different to not see Monica and Phoebe every day.

"It's nice to be out with you girls again," Monica said. "All I seem to do these days are hang with babies. I'm loving the mom thing, of course, it's just good to be with people who I can have an actual conversation with."

Phoebe cocked her head. "What about Chandler?"

Rolling her eyes, Monica pressed, "Like I said, an _actual_ conversation."

The three women chuckled. They had been there for ten minutes, but the reasoning behind the small reunion had yet to present itself.

Rachel glanced at Phoebe, and asked interestedly, "Pheebs, you've kept us in suspense long enough. What's your news?"

Giving a shy smile and becoming nervous, Phoebe cleared her throat and set down her glass. "Okay, well, you know how Mike and I decided to try and have a baby?"

"Oh my God!" Monica nearly yelled. "You're pregnant!"

Shocked, and wanting confirmation from the source, Rachel turned eagerly to her friend. "You are?"

Sighing, Phoebe shook her head. "Well, thanks for ruining the announcement, Mon. But yes! I am!"

After composing herself from the giddy laughs all three had let out, Rachel grinned. "Oh sweetie this is great!" Her eyebrows rose. "And a bit quick. I mean, didn't you two like, _just_ decide to have kids?"

"Yeah, it _is _fast," Phoebe agreed, still beaming. "But I'm so happy, and so is Mike."

Monica nodded. "We're happy for you too! Oh!" she said loudly. "Our kids can be great friends! We can set up play-dates once a week, and throw little birthday parties, and go shopping for toys together..."

Rachel chuckled and shook her head at Monica. "Okay, Mon, Phoebe _just_ got pregnant. I think we have awhile before we start setting up weekly trips to the park."

"Trips to the park!" Phoebe said excitedly. "Oh, yay!"

"Okay, okay," Monica commanded, raising her glass. "Here's to Phoebe!"

Phoebe lifted her drink. "And motherhood!"

Rachel followed the other two. "And...uh...," she tried to think of another. "What you two said!"

They clinked glasses, and began laughing and talking animatedly. Rachel had to smile; now all three of them were really grown up with jobs, and kids, and husbands. _Husbands_, she thought carefully.

**XXX**

Ross smiled when he saw Rachel enter the apartment as he shut Emma's door. She threw her purse down and sat beside him on the couch.

"Hey, how was the lunch?" he asked as she kissed his cheek. He still could hardly believe he'd gotten another chance with this amazing woman.

"Lots of fun," Rachel informed him, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, guess who's pregnant?"

His eyes widening and his stomach dropping, Ross felt his mouth go dry. "It's not, it's not you, is it?"

Shaking her head incredulously, Rachel waved it off. "No! It's Phoebe!"

Feeling extremely relieved, Ross grinned again. "Oh! Well, that's great!" He wondered what the children of Phoebe, an out-there woman from a dysfunctional home, and Mike, an ex-lawyer from a rich and proper family, would be like.

"Yeah," Rachel agreed. "Man, we're all really growing up, huh? We all suddenly have these new responsibilities, and things to look forward to."

Ross took her hand. "Speaking of things to look forward to...," he started, wanting to share his good news. "I saw an ad for a house in the paper. It's great, and it's right near Monica and Chandler."

"Hey, that's funny," Rachel said as she stroked his palm with her thumb. "I think Monica and I passed by that same house when we were walking the kids."

"Huh," Ross said. "It's like fate!"

"Or maybe a coincidence?"

"Sure, if you wanna make this experience less mystical," Ross said. "But really, they're having an open house Saturday. Maybe we should go?" He asked more than told her, as he still had doubts as to whether Rachel really wanted this.

"Yeah, we might as well check it out," she said, and from her tone Ross could tell he was correct in his questioning.

"Do you not want to look at the house?" He asked softly.

Rachel sighed. "I don't know, it just seems like we might be doing things too quickly."

Ross was afraid of this. "You really think so? But, but before you had said you had wanted this." He wanted to understand her thoughts.

"I know I did," Rachel replied. "But I think maybe we should have everything planned out before we make a big decision like this."

Well, this was a new concept to him. "Planned out? We can't plan everything, Rach."

"I know, but everything up to now has been so... random. I'd just like to know what to expect for once. Not that I have regrets, especially where Emma is concerned..." Ross could see the emotions battling inside her by her expression.

"Okay, so...I'm confused," Ross said slowly. "Are we looking for a house, or no?"

"Maybe not right now," Rachel replied quietly. She then turned to him and looked him in the eyes, so he was forced to gaze back. "I'm so sorry, Ross."

"It's alright, I understand," he said, still watching her blue eyes watch his. They always mesmerized him. "Did you talk to Monica about this?" He cracked a smile.

"Kinda, but she didn't realize it," Rachel said as she rested her head on Ross's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her as they sat in silence.

"You know," Ross started. "I had the weirdest talk with Chandler awhile ago when we went for coffee. He was talking about uh, wedding bells and marriage." Chuckling slightly, Ross shook his head. "Monica's really starting to rub off on him."

"Yeah, huh, how 'bout that." Ross could tell she had something on her mind.

"I mean, you and me getting married is pretty far away? Right?" Wanting an answer to save him some embarrassment, Ross hoped she would say sooner.

"Oh, yeah, totally," she agreed, which made Ross's heart sink. "Do you ever think about it?"

"Think about what?"

"Us getting...married," Rachel said, and the statement lifted Ross's spirits.

"Well, uh, do you think about it?"

"I, I guess a little bit," she admitted.

"Yeah, me too, a little bit," he nodded, rubbing her arm. "When do you think about it?"

"Whenever we're with Emma. Or taking a walk. Or here, just talking," Rachel mumbled.

Ross blinked. "Wow, uh, that's a lot more often than you originally said."

Rachel nodded into his chest. "Yeah, I guess I think about it more than I realized."

After a short silence, Ross said, "It _would_ be nice. It'd probably be better than our first attempt."

"Well, when we got married then, it was a mistake and we weren't in love. But we are now." Ross could hear the honesty in her voice, and it made him feel like the greatest man in the world.

"Definitely," he confirmed. "So, this conversation has turned kinda weird. I mean, we're both considering marriage already?"

"It does seem kind of fast," Rachel agreed. "We just got back together three months ago."

"I know." Ross would never forget the evening where he had thought he'd lost this woman forever, only to have her show up in his doorway, proclaiming her love to him. "But it's good we talk about this, just so things aren't so... unplanned if something comes up." He'd been thinking about their situation since they had gotten back together.

"Something like what?" Rachel pried, interested.

Not wanting to give anything away, but knowing he would, Ross shrugged. "Just uh, just if one of us has a question for the other one that involves a certain type of jewelry."

It took Rachel a minute, and then she asked, "You _are_ talking about a proposal, right?"

Nervous now, Ross fumbled with his words. "Uh, I uh, guess so. I love you so much, Rach, and I'd love to be married to you. Unless you wanna wait longer. " He turned mock-serious. "I guess I've just been thrown off by not being married in five years."

Rachel laughed, a sound Ross loved to hear, as she sat up and looked at him again. "I think if you want to, you can ask any question you want."

Ross hadn't thought she'd be this forward. "Uh, good to know." He blinked a few times.

He gazed into those blue eyes once more, and this time he just had to kiss her, so he did. It slowly escalated in the passion department, before Rachel broke it.

"Save it for later,"she said, almost seductively. "I'm gonna go check on Emma."

"Okay," Ross replied easily, grinning at her.

After she was gone, Ross stood and made his way over to his desk, opening the bottom drawer. He spotted the small black box and lifted it, opening the top. His grandmother's ring sparkled, and he smiled at it, elated by the fact that Rachel had just basically told him she would accept it if he gave it to her.

**XXX**


	4. Rings

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Let me tell you, already having the dialogue makes writing this wicked easier.

The reviews are appreciated.

**XXX**

Rachel nervously adjusted her suit-jacket as she sat in her former boss's office. It had been two weeks since she had told Ross he could propose, and she still couldn't get that off her mind. But right now, she had to try her best.

"So Rachel," Mr. Zelner began as he sat down behind his desk, looking at her. "You're here because..."

"I'd, uh, like my job back, if you'd be willing to give it back to me," Rachel said, as confident as she could be.

Mr. Zelner seemed to be caught between laughter and shock. "You, uh, want you're job back? But we fired you...and then you quit when we offered to have you back."

"Ah, yeah, I knew that was gonna come up," Rachel mumbled. "Well, I know it looks really bad, but I swear if you let me come back, I'll be better than ever. I'll be loyal to Ralph Lauren, and I'll take whatever you give me without complaining." Secretly proud of herself, Rachel waited for his response.

Taking his time, Mr. Zelner glanced from the papers in front of him to Rachel, then back again. "This is the deal," he said as he placed his hands on the desk. "We hadn't hired anyone to your old position yet, because we didn't really see the need to. Now I _really_ don't know why I'm doing this," he sighed, "but I'll hire you back. I must admit, you were good at your job, there aren't many who love it as much as you. Two weeks of a trail run, no pay, and if you've proven yourself after that, then you're welcomed back to your old spot."

Rachel almost let out a shriek. "Oh, thank you Mr. Zelner, you won't regret hiring me back...again! Oh, thank you!" She was so excited she had jumped up from her chair.

"Alright," Her boss stood and walked past her to the door, opening it. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, of course. Unless I get a better offer," Rachel joked, but stopped chuckling at Mr. Zelner's stern look. "I can't thank you enough. You're just...so great, and the best boss in the world. I mean, I would never hire myself back."

"Yes, I really am wondering why I'm doing this," he said. "But I am, so get out before I change my mind."

"Will do!" Rachel nodded and walked out the door. "See you tomorrow!" She called.

When she got outside the office, she grinned at Ross, who was examining a picture hanging on a wall. Ross glanced at her, and at her nod, he laughed and hugged her.

"You got your job back!" He said happily.

"Yes!" She confirmed, then kissed him. "Oh, thanks for pushing me to get it back, sweetie. I'm just lucky Zelner doesn't scare easy. I'm surprised he re-hired me after all the wacky things that have happened over the years."

Grinning even wider as Ross took her hand and led her out of the lobby, Rachel felt as if she couldn't be happier.

"Let's go celebrate," Ross said as they entered the elevator.

**XXX**

Making a face at the baby she was holding, Rachel couldn't get over how cute Monica and Chandler's adopted children were.

"So, which one am I holding now?" she asked, as they were still too young to tell which was which.

"Check the socks," was Monica's reply.

Rachel did so. "They're yellow."

"Then you're holding Erica," Monica said matter-of-factly. "See, I color-coded all of their clothes, so that way we can tell them apart in the early stages-"

Suddenly the long explanation came back to her. "Yeah, Mon, you already told me twice," she said as nicely as possible.

"Oh." Monica bounced Jack in her arms. "So uh, I talked to Phoebe yesterday," she began.

"Really? How is she?" Rachel hadn't spoken to their other female friend since she had gotten her job back at Ralph Lauren.

"She said morning sickness is a bitch."

"That's true, it is," Rachel nodded. "But in the end it's worth it." She glanced down at little Erica, and then thought of her own daughter, who was with her grandparents today. "So how's the advertising thing going for Chandler?"

Monica shrugged. "Good. He's been trying to come up with something for this new power drink that's supposed to make you play like the pro's. He drank some, then tried to play wall ball at the park."

"Did it make him better?" Rachel asked.

"No, I could still kick his ass without trying."

"You can do that to a lot of people," Rachel said quietly, once again jiggling Erica. "Chandler never really has been a sports guy. I mean-"

The phone interrupted her sentence, and Rachel sighed as placed Erica back with her mother and began the search for the telephone, which she knew was somewhere under the tons of papers that were everywhere.

"You know, if you cleaned up a little bit..." Monica trailed off at Rachel's glare.

"Ah!" she shouted triumphantly as she found the phone and picked it up. "Hello?" she asked.

"Yes, this is Dr. Frank George from the paleontology department at the museum, is Dr. Ross Gellar there?"

Rachel held back a snicker. She couldn't believe people called Ross 'doctor'. "Uh, I'm sorry, he's not in right now. Can I take a message?"

"Yes, that'd be great," the paleontologist replied, and Rachel wanted to groan. Now she had to find some paper and a pen.

"Hold on a sec," she said as she put the phone down and started going through the drawers in Ross's desk. Monica was alternating between watching her best friend and rocking both twins.

Rachel reached the bottom drawer and grabbed the blank piece of paper that was laying on top. She was about to close it when she spotted a black box, that looked suspiciously like...

Her eyes now wide, Rachel took down the number for the man on the phone, then hung up and sat back down slowly, in a daze.

"Who was that?" Monica glanced at her friend.

"Uh, somebody with uh, the name, message, thing..." Rachel waved around the piece of paper.

"You okay, Rach?" Monica poked her friend when she didn't get an answer. "Rachel?"

"Okay, Mon, now don't freak out," Rachel started, turning to her friend. "But remember how I said I'd tell you if anything big was happening between me and Ross?"

"Yeah." Monica's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"Well," Rachel said as she stood again, pacing, then let it all out quickly, "We were thinking of looking for a house and then we decided not to and then I sort of told him he could ask me to marry him and now I just found a ring in the bottom drawer of his desk and I'm sorry I didn't tell you but-"

"Rachel, whoa, hey, slow down. Just stay calm." Monica sat, staring at Rachel. She then suddenly let out a shriek. "I can't believe this! This is incredible! And so fast, you two just got back together!"

"Three and a half months ago, for your information," Rachel corrected. "But, I mean, this is _marriage_!" She could hardly believe this. The ring box looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"But you just said you told him he could ask you."

"I know I did, but this is Ross!" Realizing what she was talking about, Rachel hit herself on the forehead. "Crap! This is Ross! He loves marriage!" She sat back down again. "Is it possible to have cold feet before even being engaged?"

As Rachel slung an arm over her eyes, Monica eyed the desk, then stood and put the twins back in their bassinet. She walked to the desk and opened the bottom drawer, taking the ring out. Rachel glanced at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Just looking," Monica said as she popped open the case. "Yup, just as I suspected. This is Nana's ring."

"And...?" Rachel didn't understand how that was relevant, but at least now she knew why it looked familiar.

"It's the one my mother gave Ross before Emma was born. He's probably had it since then."

Hearing this, Rachel wondered if Ross had just kept the ring there for two years. The thought made her almost feel disappointed.

"Yeah, well, it's pretty coincidental I find it in his desk right now," she tried to defend.

Monica sat back down beside Rachel. "Rach, I have just one question. Would you say yes to this ring right now?"

"Well, it depends," Rachel said. "Are _you_ proposing?"

"No, but if Ross were, would you say yes?"

Rachel knew the answer. She'd known the answer ever since she and Ross had first exchanged "I love you"s almost nine years ago.

"Yeah, I would," was her verdict.

Monica's smile was infectious. She and Rachel hugged.

"Oh, now you're really gonna be my sister-in-law!"

Rachel didn't think that sounded so bad.

**XXX**


	5. Finally

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: I know what you're thinking: 'How did I get lucky enough to have two updates in one day?' Well, it's because I'm amazing.

No, I'm kidding. It's because I've really had not much to do today, so I decided to crank out another chapter, since this one is short.

**XXX**

Ross sat restlessly on the orange couch in Central Perk. Though it was near closing time, he had convinced Gunther to let him stay and wait for Rachel a little longer. The coffee shop owner had agreed reluctantly, and left for the back room. Ross was so nervous his coffee cup shook every time he lifted it.

He looked up when he heard the door open, and watched as Rachel entered as another couple left. She grinned at them, and then sat down beside her boyfriend.

"So my mom finally left with Emma. It's nice of her to watch her for a weekend," she said as she gave Ross a quick kiss.

"Yeah," Ross nodded, flipping through a magazine and trying to act nonchalant.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ross could see Rachel looking around.

"It still seems weird," she said suddenly.

"What does?" Ross asked, setting down the magazine he had been pretending to read.

Rachel sighed. "Not seeing any of our friends here. I mean, it's been almost five months and I'm still not used to it."

"Well, eventually you'll become accustomed to it," he responded.

"Are you?"

Ross considered. "I guess I've come to terms with the fact that everyone's moved away. It's not like we don't hear from them; we have dinner with Monica and Chandler at least twice a month, and we talk to Joey and Phoebe all the time."

Sitting back slowly, Rachel looked forward. "Man, who would have thought ten years ago when we all first sat here together, it would end up like this?"

Taking her hand and hoping his palms weren't noticeably sweating, Ross smiled. "Ten years ago I was in the middle of a divorce with my pregnant, lesbian ex-wife, while balancing the fact that you had just walked back into my life, in a soaking wet wedding dress."

Rachel now looked at their entwined hands. "And I had just run out on my wedding, totally dependant on other people."

As they sat in a comfortable silence, Ross knew he'd have to do it soon, or he'd lose his nerve. "We certainly have grown up," he said.

"Yeah. I mean I never would have guessed in a million years that I would become head of a clothing department at Ralph Lauren, date you, divorce you, and have a baby." Rachel chuckled at the irony.

Ross gave a half-smile. "And I wouldn't believe that I'd have a son, date you for a year, get three divorces before I was 32, and have a baby with you."

"Life has a way of throwing the craziest of predicaments at you, don't it?"Ross couldn't agree with her more.

They once again fell into silence. "Never saw my best friend and sister comin'," Ross said suddenly.

Rachel nodded. "Me either."

Now both reminiscing, Ross heard the last customer leave. This conversation had been the perfect lead-in.

"Rach?"

"Yeah?" she asked as she turned to face him, their hands still together.

Ross had been practicing this for weeks, yet he still couldn't keep the slight tremors out of his voice. "Ten years ago, I had just remembered my feelings for you. Nine years ago, you admitted that you liked me. Then, I had one of the best years of my life with you."

"Ross, what-" Rachel looked extremely confused.

"Just...let me finish," Ross said softly, looking into her eyes. "Eight years ago, I made the stupidest mistake of my life, and lost you, even though we were still in love. That alone was hell for me. Seven years ago I did another stupid thing and got married for the second time, and then said your name at the altar, because, well, it's always been you on my mind, Rach."

Rachel still didn't understand what he was doing, but was beginning to tear up. "Ross, really, what are you-"

He put his free hand up to her mouth to make her stop. "I thought you were gonna let me finish," he said with a small chuckle. "So, where was I? Right, okay, and then six years ago, after I got divorced again, nothing really happened between us, even though you had said you still loved me. And now I look back and wish I had said it back to you." He had been so confused then, he hadn't been thinking straight.

Ross continued on, "Then five years ago we did one of many stupid things we've done: we got married in Vegas. And that was when I realized I was in love with you again. Except, not really again, because I guess in the back of my mind I always knew I loved you, but I didn't do anything about it. So four years ago you and I almost slept together, then a few weeks before Monica and Chandler's wedding, we actually did. Which led to three years ago, with you pregnant with our child. It hurt when I first heard Joey was in love you, and I feel bad for admitting this, but I was so relieved when you didn't reciprocate the feelings. And then when Emma was born, I thought that that might be it. I wanted to get back together, but then some misunderstandings ruined that for us." All these things had hurt him then, but now that he looked back, Ross realized that these events had made finally getting back together with Rachel even better.

"I'm so sorry for that, Ross," Rachel said, who was openly crying now. She seemed to know where this was leading.

Ross shot his best smile at her. "I'm almost done," he said as sweet as could be. "So two years ago there was a new little person that we had created that was depending on us, but then you and I had that blowout and you left to go live with Joey again. After that I tried to convince myself I wasn't in love with you anymore, but then you and Joey got together last year, and I was with Charlie, and I realized that it really hurt me, and that I was definitely still in love with you. And then a few months ago I got what I had always wanted: you."

Now finished with his long reflection over the past ten years of their rocky relationship, Ross let out a long breath. Rachel threw her arms around him, still crying. He held her tightly.

She sat back slowly and wiped at her eyes, then took his hand again and searched his face. "What about now?" Rachel asked cautiously.

This was the most nerve-wracking part yet. "Heh, uh," Ross chuckled as he got down on one knee. He'd done this twice, and yet neither time had compared to this. He heard more than saw Rachel gasp. "I know this isn't the planetarium, and there aren't any lilies or nice music or stars, but this is where we spent so much time that it feels like a second home." He took a deep breath. "So now, at this moment, I want to close the book of us being 'on again, off again'. Forever."

He searched his pocket for the ring, and for a moment thought he'd forgotten it, but let out a sigh of relief when he found it and took it out, flipping it open for his girlfriend.

"Ross..." she said weakly, so he could barely hear her.

"Rachel, I've loved you since the ninth grade. We have such an amazing history, including a beautiful child together. We'd be the perfect family. I know all of this has happened so fast: us getting back together and living with each other, but if you're looking to start planning things, like you said a few months ago, then will you marry me?" He was putting his heart on the line now, and somehow knew he wouldn't be disappointed.

Ross waited as Rachel looked back and forth, from him to the ring, with her hands on her face. Finally, she slowly lowered them, and Ross could see the broad grin on her face.

"I will," she said, and at that moment, Ross thought he'd never felt happier in his life.

He jumped up quickly, nearly dropping the ring in the process. Ross missed Rachel sticking her hand out for him to put the ring on in his excitement. Instead, he kissed her, long and hard, wanting to remember this feeling forever.

"Rachel, this is just, this is so incredible, and great, and everything I've wanted since what seems like forever. I can't, it's so-"

Rachel's eyebrows rose. "Uh, Ross, wanna make it official?"

He noticed her left hand was out again, and realized he'd forgotten to give her the ring. "Oh! Right! Yeah, okay."

He slowly placed the ring on her left ring-finger, and all they could do was beam at each other for a minute. Ross thought he might burst from happiness. Rachel was finally going to be his wife; not because they were drunk, or obligated, but because she loved him as much as he loved her.

They went to kiss at the same time, and Ross thought it couldn't have been better. He wanted to explain how thrilled he was, but couldn't, so he tried to show his feelings in this kiss, which kept going for some time.

The sound of glass breaking finally broke them apart, and they both looked to see Gunther behind the counter, having just dropped a mug on the floor. He shot a glare at Ross, then stormed to the back room.

Ross looked at Rachel, and they both burst out laughing, giddy from the events that had just taken place.

He stood and extended his hand to her. "So, want to go celebrate?"

"Hell yeah!" Rachel said as she took his hand. The two walked to the doors. "Wait till we tell everyone," she commented as they exited Central Perk.

**XXX**


	6. Announcing

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends

**A/N**: Sorry the chapter took so long to get out. I've had so much to do, what with school starting, and homework, and a job, and just real life in general (I totally watched the _Joey_ premiere).

The reviews are great.

**XXX**

Rachel glanced around Monica and Chandler's living room, where the whole group was lounging, minus Chandler and Joey. She thought how nice it was that they all could come together for this dinner, and was becoming steadily nervous at telling she and Ross's news.

"The dinner was a good idea, Rach. Glad you thought of it," Monica said from her lazy position in an armchair.

"Well, I know how much you like hosting things," Rachel replied from where she was nestled against Ross, knowing they never could've pulled something off like this at the apartment.

Phoebe nodded. "The food was great, Mon." She patted her stomach. "The baby liked it."

"Which is a real compliment," Mike said as he put an arm around Phoebe's shoulders. "Since she can't seem to find anything that agrees with her."

"It sounds like when you were pregnant with the triplets," Rachel noted, also remembering the days when most foods would make her throw up. She still couldn't eat tuna.

"Yeah," Phoebe agreed. "Man, I must've eaten thirty cows _easy_ during that pregnancy." She shuddered slightly.

Monica checked her watch and sighed. "I feel kind of bad for making Chandler do a diaper-run this late. We never run out of diapers!"

Ross scoffed. "What, do you have a magic diaper closet or something?"

Rachel hid her smile as Monica glared at her older brother. She loved her friends.

The door opened at that moment, and Chandler entered with two bags, looking annoyed. Monica jumped up quickly to greet him.

"Diapers are here!" she shouted as she grabbed the bags from her husband.

Chandler let out a breath. "Oh no, I didn't mind running out in the middle of our dinner party to get diapers. You're so welcome," he said sarcastically.

Monica kissed his cheek absently. "Thanks. I'm gonna go put these in the twins' room."

Rachel sat up slightly, glancing at Ross. He nodded, letting her know that now was the time to tell them.

"Uh, Mon, before you go into 'organize' mode," Rachel started, "we'd like to share something." She took Ross's hand and they grinned at each other.

"You're not pregnant again, are you?" Monica asked seriously.

Rachel was surprised her friend would ask this, and wasn't sure if she should take offence or laugh. "What? No!"

"Okay," Monica said. Everyone gave her an odd look. "I just wanted to be sure!"

"Actually," Ross cut in, "we're uh, we're engaged."

Rachel waited for everyone to react as she kept her smile in place. It took them all a moment to absorb this, and the next thing she knew, she was being surrounded by the group, being asked to show off the ring on her left hand, which she had been skillfully avoiding using all evening.

"I knew this would happen eventually!" Phoebe announced proudly. "Took longer than I expected," she added, "but no one's perfect."

"Yeah, I guess you were right. We are each other's crabs." Ross grinned at Phoebe, who looked as if she was debating something for a second.

She decided on hugged him. "It's lobster, but whatever! I'm so happy for you guys!"

Mike shook Ross's hand as Rachel got her own hug from Phoebe. "Congrats, man. I didn't even know you guys way back when, but I've heard the story, and I'm happy you two are finally getting married. Again."

Rachel's eyebrows rose as she heard this. Phoebe shrugged. "I taught our history well."

Monica had latched on to Rachel, and she finally got free. "So you guys don't think this is too fast?" she asked honestly.

Chandler chuckled. "You two? This has been coming for years. And it looks like I just lost $20." His eyes grew wide when he realized what he'd said.

"Uh, why?" Ross questioned curiously.

"Uh, nothing. I just lost $20 on...diapers." Chandler shifted uncomfortably. "We weren't betting on you two or anything," he added, ashamed.

"Oh, yeah, tell _them_, Chandler!" Monica said, annoyed.

Rachel shook her head as she thought back to three years ago. "And suddenly I'm having flashbacks to the last days of my pregnancy..."

**XXX**

Emma made a gurgling sound as Rachel and Ross entered the apartment later that night. Rachel set down her coat and carried their daughter into her room, lying her in her crib and tucking her blanket over her.

Rachel heard Ross follow her in as she stroked Emma's head as the little girl slept. Ross came up beside her.

"I can't believe she's gonna be two soon," Rachel said wistfully as she watched her angel sleep. She still sometimes couldn't believe she had this wonderful child.

"I know," Ross agreed softly. "It seems like just yesterday I was rapping to get her to laugh."

Rachel tried to resist rolling her eyes at the memory, but couldn't help it as she and Ross exited Emma's room, shutting the door quietly behind them. The two entered their bedroom.

"Tonight went really well," Ross said as he sat on the bed and began to remove his shoes.

Taking her earrings off, Rachel nodded. "Yeah, it really did. I just wish Joey had been there."

"Monica _did_ make us call him."

"I know, but it isn't the same as seeing him in person," Rachel said as she sat next to Ross and took off her heels.

When they had called Joey from Monica and Chandler's house, he had taken the news of the engagement quite well. Rachel knew that they were pretty much past the awkward phase of their post-breakup, if you could even call it that. Some part of her had always known it wouldn't work with Joey, and yet she had still persisted with her feelings for him because everyone had someone, which had really been starting to bug her. Deep down, she had always considered Ross to be the guy she could picture herself with; that guy had never been Joey. _It was really mostly attraction_, she concluded.

Done with her musings, Rachel tuned back into what Ross was saying. "He promised to fly out for the wedding and officiate." Ross stopped a moment, then asked, confused, "Why did we agree to that again?"

Rachel stood and threw her shoes in Ross's closet that she had pretty much taken over. She felt so tired. "Because Monica and Chandler, and Phoebe and Mike, had him do theirs, so we'd be like, odd-men-out if he didn't do ours."

"Right," Ross said as he lied back on the bed with a yawn.

"Now we just gotta tell our parents," Rachel sighed after a short silence as she changed out of her skirt and into some pajamas. She took her place beside Ross on the bed, her eyelids growing heavy.

Ross had his eyes closed, but still managed a guffaw. "Oh, this is gonna be great for your father's heart condition," he said sarcastically.

"He likes you!" Rachel protested, then considered. "A little bit." She thought a bit more, then went on, "Not as much because of when we saw him in the hospital. Or when you got me pregnant."

"Well, my parents will be thrilled. Maybe we should tell them last," Ross said, changing the subject off Rachel's father.

"We'll tell my dad first," Rachel decided as she yawned widely and closed her eyes, burrowing closer to her boyfriend.

As she drifted off into sleep, Rachel heard Ross mumble, "Great," as he slung an arm around her.

**XXX**

"There's still time to run," Ross muttered as he entered Rachel's childhood home.

Rachel rolled her eyes while she pushed Emma's stroller into the large living room. "Ross, please,"she said as she glanced around, thinking back to the days she had once called this place home. "Daddy! It's me!" she called loudly.

Leonard Green entered the living room and smiled at his oldest daughter. But his smile turned to a frown when he spotted who she was with.

"Why're you here?" He asked Ross as he approached the two.

Rachel shook her head and hugged her father. "Daddy, I told you, Ross and I are back together."

"Sure, for how long this time?" Dr. Green questioned. Rachel resisted the urge to roll her eyes for the second time in two minutes.

Ross was smiling tightly. "Nice to see you too, Dr. Green," he said as politely as possible.

Rachel was proud of him, since her boyfriend and father had never really gotten along. Towards the end of her relationship with Ross, Dr. Green had come to an understanding of his daughter's feelings for the man, but after the horrible break-up, he had never really forgiven Ross. And then he had gotten her pregnant and they hadn't gotten married, so that hadn't really helped much either.

"Yeah," Rachel's father muttered, ignoring Ross for the most part. He bent slightly to see Emma sleeping in her stroller. "Well, look how big she's getting!"

"Yeah, she's growing fast," Rachel agreed, not wanting to think about her little baby aging quickly. "She'll be two in a week."

Dr. Green nodded, and stood again, glancing between Ross and Rachel. He then sat down with a sigh. "So, is this a social call, or is there a reason you two decided to drive all the way here to visit me?"

"Actually, there is," Ross said affirmatively, then waited for a moment. "Rach, how 'bout you tell him." He shrank behind her slightly.

"You're not pregnant again, are you?" Dr. Green asked his daughter in an accusing tone.

Rachel mouthed soundlessly for a minute. "No! Why does everyone keep asking me that?!" She was really starting to wonder about this. Did she _look_ pregnant? Was it peoples' way of telling her she was getting fat?

She pushed these thoughts away for the moment, and sat beside her father, resting a hand on his arm. "Daddy, Ross and I are...uh, getting married." Rachel flashed the ring on her left hand, giving a visual to her statement.

Both she and Ross waited on bated breath as Dr. Green looked back and forth between the couple. Rachel saw Ross timidly catch her father's gaze, knowing he wanted to stay strong in front of this intimidating man.

Rachel almost fell back as her father hugged her quickly after nodding once. "Good for you, Rachel," he said, not sounding excited, but not sounding angry either.

"You mean it?" she asked.

"Yes. Congratulations, sweetie," he replied, seeming genuine, though Rachel was never sure. "And Ross."

"Uh, yes?" Ross stood at attention now, taking a step closer to his fiancée.

Dr. Green shook the younger man's hand. "Don't mess up this marriage like your past three."

"Thanks," Ross said dryly.

"Well! This calls for a celebration! Drinks all around!" Rachel's father announced.

Rachel shook her head. "Daddy, I thought you weren't supposed to be drinking since the heart attack," she said softly.

"Right, of course," he said, deflated. "How about some, uh, sparkling water," he unenthusiastically offered.

"I'll get it," Ross said quickly, and Rachel could tell he was looking for an out from the room.

He left before anyone could disagree, and Rachel took this moment of her father's distraction to examine the ring Ross had given to her. It wasn't exactly simple; it seemed like it may have cost a lot of money when his grandmother got it. It looked like an heirloom-type object, and Rachel knew this ring would be passed down throughout their family, most likely to Emma next, unless she and Ross had more kids. Then it'd have to be given fairly to the child who was either getting engaged first, or if Emma or another daughter of theirs' boyfriend asked to present it to them...

_Whoa, where'd these 'more children' thoughts come from? _She wondered suddenly.

"Are you happy?"

Her father's question shook Rachel back to reality. She wasn't twenty-five years in the future, suddenly watching her daughter (_daughters? sons? _She didn't know anymore.) get engaged; she was in her childhood house's living room with her father, having just announced her _own_ engagement to the man she had loved for ten years, though it seemed longer.

"I'm really happy, daddy," she said genuinely, knowing she never felt happiness like this before.

"Good." Dr. Green watched his oldest daughter. "And now I actually get to walk one of my girls down the aisle,"he said.

"Oh, you'll do it again," Rachel replied absently, then looked back on the matter of her two flighty sisters and changed her mind, "Well, maybe not."

Rachel's father sighed. "So, what'd your mother say when you told her?"

"Actually, Ross and I decided to tell you first."

"Thank you," Dr. Green said, sounding almost touched. He smiled slightly at Rachel, then cleared his throat when things were getting mushy and shook his head. "How long does it take a man to pour three glasses?! I'm going to check on him."

He stood and left for the kitchen, and Rachel smiled after him, glad that she had actually achieved her goal of getting her father's approval of marrying Ross.

She turned to watch Emma sleep soundly in her stroller, the little girl unaware of the big changes going on around her. "That wasn't so bad, huh?"

Ross's head poked out from behind the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen. "Save me!" he said pleadingly, then disappeared again when Dr. Green began admonishing him.

Rachel chuckled to herself. _One down, three to go._

**XXX**


	7. Birthdays, Engagements, Surprises

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Lovin' the reviews.

**XXX**

Ross drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove himself, Rachel, and Emma back to their home from Dr. Green's house. He checked the rear-view mirror and saw that his daughter was sleeping peacefully in the backseat. She had woken after her nap, and had been extremely excited to see her grandfather. Ross hadn't exactly shared the same feeling.

He heard Rachel sigh loudly. "Seriously, why do you drive so slow?!" She asked in an annoyed tone that Ross knew wasn't exactly real, as they had just finished having this similar conversation.

"I'm just being careful!" Ross defended, playing along. "There's a young child in the backseat!"

His fiancée rolled her eyes. "You're going so slow you've put her to sleep."

They both knew that wasn't true, and that she was only bringing all this back up to get him to banter with her. He found he didn't quite mind doing it.

"Actually, it's 10 p.m. and she loves the motion of the car, so I think those are some other factors for her tired state." Ross shot her a smug look, knowing that even if they weren't actually arguing, he had still won this time.

"I still don't see why you bought a car _now_," Rachel said, and now Ross could tell she was just looking for a topic to mention.

Ross sighed, having explained this a few times before. Rachel never seemed to listen. "Because after we get married we're moving, and I'd like to get used to the car before that. And now it'll be easier to get to places out of the city, like Monica and Chandler's."

"Yeah, I guess," she agreed, defeated. After a short silence, she said, "So, this visit wasn't bad."

"Yes, your father only _almost_ poked my eye out with a knife," Ross said mockingly. He shuddered at the thought of Dr. Green threatening him.

Rachel shook her head. "Well, you shouldn't have tried to give him tips on how to cut the tomato!"

"Let's just drop the subject, then."

"Fine."

Rachel let out another big sigh, and started humming. Ross shot her a look, and she stopped.

"We still have to tell my mother when she comes to visit for Emma's birthday next week," she said. "And we'll tell your parents while they're there. Oh, I still can't believe my dad has to miss it," Rachel finished, sounding disappointed.

"At least I can be assured that I won't be threatened with sharp utensils," Ross said quietly, but Rachel still heard him and groaned in disbelief.

**XXX**

Rachel watched as Ross adjusted the "Happy Birthday" sign they had gotten for Emma. When he was satisfied with the positioning, he sat back down on the floor beside his fiancée and daughter.

"That looks straight, right?" he asked, still staring at the banner.

"Oh, definitely," Rachel agreed. She then tilted her head. "Is it a little crooked on the left?"

"What?" Ross asked in disbelief. "I spent like, twenty minutes making sure it was perfect!"

He stood again and went back to the sign, and Rachel chuckled to herself. Ross was so easy to tease.

A knock at the door made her jump up to answer, as Ross was intently measuring the sign against the wall.

"Hey guys!" Rachel said as she opened the door to find Monica and Chandler with the twins. She hugged both of them. "Thanks for coming!"

"Rach, you know we wouldn't miss Emma's second birthday," Monica said as she pushed the stroller into the apartment.

"The birthday girl _is_ awake this time, right?" Chandler asked in all seriousness.

Rachel glared. "Yes, she is."

Monica had spotted her. "There she is!" She placed their gift down on the table and sat on the floor with Emma, greeting Ross in the process. Chandler did the same as Phoebe and Mike entered.

"Hey!" Phoebe said.

"Pheebs!" Rachel looked at her middle. "Look at you, showin' a bit."

"It's a beautiful thing, isn't it?" Mike said, a smile spread across his face.

"Easy for you to say, you're not getting fat," Phoebe deadpanned, and the couple went to greet the others.

Rachel turned to watch her friends, easing the door shut behind her, not realizing she had just closed the door in her mother's face. The knock made her turn and open it again.

Sandra Green stood on the other side, hands on her hips. "Rachel dear, is closing your door in my face any way to treat your mother?"

Rachel smiled at her mother, having not seen her since the night she and Ross got engaged when she had picked up Emma. "I'm sorry, mom! There's a lot going on right now. It's great to see you."

The two hugged, and Sandra looked around. "You too, honey. And where's my grandchild?"

"Being fawned over by the window," Rachel replied, nodding in the direction of her friends all surrounding her daughter.

Sandra glanced once again around the apartment. "Is your father coming?" She looked uncomfortable.

Rachel wanted to let out a long breath at this. Her parents had been divorced for eight years, and yet they still had a hard time dealing with seeing each other.

"No, actually, he had a work thing, or something" Rachel trailed off.

Her mother visibly relaxed, which made Rachel almost angry. "Oh, well, that's too bad," she tried covering her relief with sympathy.

"Yeah. But at least you could make it this time," Rachel said.

"Hey, Rach," Ross said as he approached the two. "The natives are getting restless" He noticed Sandra and smiled at her. "Hey Mrs. Green!" he said as cheerful as possible, and sounding much more real than with Rachel's father.

"Good to see you, Ross," Sandra said as she hugged him briefly.

"Okay, well, Emma's over there if you want to see her," Rachel hinted to her mom, wanting to talk to Ross.

Sandra nodded and walked over to the group. Rachel and Ross watched for a moment.

"So what time are your parents supposed to come?" she asked, turning to face him.

Ross checked his watch. "Pretty soon."

"We'll tell them after everyone gets settled," Rachel decided. "I think Monica is ready to burst from keeping this from my mother."

They both looked at Monica, who was hovering near Sandra, then noticed the couple watching her and walked over to them.

"I'm dying!" Monica squeaked. "I want to start planning things with you! Tell her!"

Rachel lifted her eyebrows at Ross. "Told ya."

The door opening again made everyone turn, and Jack and Judy Gellar entered. Rachel, Ross, and the rest of the group greeted them.

"How wonderful; Emma turning two," Judy said as she set her coat down on a chair.

Jack nodded. "I know. I can't believe it was two years ago today our little granddaughter was born." He glanced at Monica and Chandler, and said, "It was also the day I learned things I'd rather have been oblivious to."

Rachel had no idea what he was talking about, and also looked at her friends, noticing that both of them were blushing slightly. She saw that no one else seemed to know what was going on either. _I'm definitely asking later_, she thought.

"So, let's move on, shall we?" Chandler prompted.

They decided to have cake, then open gifts. Rachel now sat on the couch beside Ross, helping their daughter rip off the wrapping paper from the present she had received. Emma wasn't so much opening gifts, though, as she was just sitting between her parents, being amused by a stuffed animal.

"Book!" the little girl shouted as Rachel revealed the book that had come in the package.

"Yeah!" Rachel acknowledged, proud of her child's speaking skills. "That's all of them," she said to the group. "Thanks for everything, guys."

"Yeah, these are all great presents. She's so spoiled," Ross said, and Rachel knew _he_ was the one who spoiled Emma the most. The girl had her father wrapped around her finger.

"Of course, dear, only the best for Emma," Judy replied for everyone.

The group dispersed, beginning to talk amongst themselves. Rachel took this opportunity to whisper to Ross, "Let's tell them now."

He nodded, and Rachel smiled at him, the smile she would only give _just_ him, and looked to their parents. "Mom, Jack, Judy, Ross and I, uh, have some news."

All three looked attentive. The other four knew what was coming.

"What is it, honey?" Sandra asked.

Rachel took a deep breath, not understanding why she was so nervous. "Well, Ross and I are engaged." How many times had she said those words?

"_Finally_!" Monica yelled from behind them.

Sandra, Jack and Judy all rushed to congratulate the young couple. Judy grabbed Rachel's hand to look at the ring.

"Aw, your grandmother's ring. I knew giving it to you was a good idea, Ross. Of course, it took you two years" She examined it.

"Yeah, thanks mom," Ross replied.

"Well, when's the wedding?" Sandra asked excitedly.

Rachel smiled at her mother and future in-laws. "We haven't actually gotten to talk about it yet. We wanted to tell everyone first."

Judy turned to the other four. "You all knew already?" she accused.

Phoebe jumped to cover them. "Yes, but we pulled it out of them. They barely said anything before we pounced!"

Rachel rolled her eyes and noticed that Jack had pulled Ross aside. She listened in on what they were saying.

"Now son, I want you to remember your last three weddings, and realize what went wrong in them before entering this one. I want to see you two kids last," Jack said.

Ross chuckled. "Yeah, I think I've got the name straight, we won't be drunk, and I have a feeling Rach isn't a lesbian."

Jack nodded. "Just making sure," he said seriously, and Rachel wanted to laugh.

She was about to tell her mother the type of dress she had been looking at, when the door opened again. Rachel turned, as did everyone else in the room, and her jaw dropped. She didn't notice her other four closest friends do the same.

"Joey?!" They all said together.

**XXX**


	8. Future Thoughts

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Wow, I'm definitely the crappiest person in the world for not updating in like, three weeks. Things have been sort of strained in my life lately, but I've got this wicked bad cold that's been going around lately, so I decided to update while I was hanging around my house and 'resting'.

You all can throw things at me now.

By the way, Emma's birthday is in October in this story, because the whole timeline on the show made no sense. I mean, she was born in May, but then in the 10th season they celebrated in October, so that's what I'm using.

I'm gonna have to label this fic kind of AU, because _Joey _is making a few things different. Just go with it.

**XXX**

Ross stared ahead to the man standing in the doorway, along with the rest of the group that had been milling around the apartment.

"So, is anyone gonna let me in...?" Joey asked, seeing as no one had yet to invite him in.

"Oh! Yeah!" Rachel said, snapping out of the daze the fastest out of everyone. She met him between her spot in front of the couch and the doorway, and hugged Joey tightly. "Joey, what are you doing here?"

Ross took his turn to greet his friend. "Not that we're not happy to see you, it's just sudden." No one had expected the sixth of their group to come.

"I just talked to you yesterday, and you didn't mention coming today!" Monica said accusingly.

Joey shrugged and set down the large bag he had brought that was slung over his shoulder. "Well, I wanted it to be a surprise." He waited a moment, then went on, "Surprise!"

"Wow, we didn't think we'd see you till the wedding," Phoebe commented from her spot in one of the chairs.

"Yeah, well, I missed you guys a lot," Joey admitted. "And I got fired," he added.

"Aw," Monica said.

"That's too bad," Ross agreed, surprised Joey had actually kept the job for this long.

"Eh, news anchor wasn't right for you anyway," Chandler said, obviously trying to make his best friend feel better.

"So I figured," Joey started, sitting on the couch so everyone could see him, including the Gellar's and Sandra Green, who hadn't said a word yet, "I'd come here and spend some time with you guys, then fly back and try to get another job, then come back for your wedding." He glanced around the room, just noticing Sandra, Jack and Judy. "Hey, why is everyone here?"

Ross shook his head in disbelief as Rachel answered, "Uh, Joey, it's Emma's second birthday." Sometimes the guy just didn't get stuff.

"Oh," was all he said. Then it all dawned on him, "Oh, right! I've got her gift," he began rifling through his bag, "right..." he kept searching for another minute, until his head had disappeared inside the duffel bag. "Crap."

"You got her crap?" Phoebe asked, then turned to Mike and whispered, "Our present was definitely better."

"Well, I got her this cute little stuffed sheep, but my nephew was working on blasting off his mini-rocket, and I think he wanted the sheep to be the first stuffed animal in space." The group looked confused. "He's a genius," Joey told them proudly.

"He's a Tribbiani?" Monica asked.

"Yup, smartest one yet," Joey answered, and Ross shook his head.

After spending another hour catching up with their friend, the group began to take their leave. Phoebe and Mike had begged out earlier, needing to attend a doctor's appointment. Ross now said goodbye to his parents and Sandra.

"Great to see you guys," he said as he kissed his mother's cheek.

Judy nodded as she and Jack exited. "You too, dear."

Ross observed as Rachel hugged her mother. "Thanks for coming, mom," she said.

"Of course, sweetie." Sandra smiled at the couple. "Now, the minute you two set a date for the wedding, I want you to call me. And call me if you need help with the menu, or if you want me to watch Emma while you and Ross are doing wedding planning things. Also, call when you go dress shopping. Unless you're using your old one-"

"I'm getting a new one," Rachel said quickly, cutting her mother short. "Thanks, mom. I'll, uh, call you, I guess."

Sandra nodded and said goodbye to Ross, then left. Ross turned to gaze at his remaining friends: Monica, Chandler, and Joey.

The three approached Rachel and Ross. "So, you have somewhere to stay, Joe?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, I think I'll just head over to the apartment," Joey replied, and everyone looked at him quizzically.

"Uh, we sold that, Joey," Chandler said kindly, and Ross knew his friend was trying not to laugh.

"What?! When?!" Joey yelled, shocked.

Ross shook his head as Monica answered him, "Right after you left, someone bought it. Remember?"

Joey's face fell, and he sighed. "Oh, right. Well, uh... heh. I'll just get a hotel room."

"No, no, no," Chandler insisted. "Our 'Joey' room is still available. You know, if you want to come."

Ross wondered how Monica felt about this sudden invitation, but smiled as Joey said, "Aw, you two are the best!" He hugged Chandler and Monica, then grabbed his bag. "It'll be like when you two were sneaking around, and always did it in our apartment."

Chandler shrugged as he pushed the twins' stroller out the door and into the hallway, Joey following behind. "Except now we're married and have two children. And, may I say, there's less 'doing it'."

"Right, so, we'll see you soon," Monica cut in, changing topics and hugging her best friend and brother. "Call me."

"I will," Rachel agreed. "And Joey," she said, turning to him. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course, Rach," Joey replied, and then the three were off.

Ross closed the door behind them, then leaned against it, smiling at his fiancée. "Hey, this went really well. Emma was awake up until the end, the cake wasn't a penis, Joey got to come, and our parents are excited about us getting married." He was finally starting to feel like this was really going to work out.

Rachel quickly latched on to him, and Ross carefully put his arms around her, unsure.

"Thank you," she said into his shoulder.

"For what?" Ross asked, half-smiling, and not understanding her sudden actions.

Rachel tilted her head up so she was looking into his eyes. "For being such a great guy. You've given me and Emma everything we've wanted and needed. I just can't believe I'm so lucky."

Ross felt himself blush slightly at the compliment. Somehow, Rachel got to him, no matter what she said. "Well, I try my best," he said, then kissed the top of her head, wondering all the same how lucky _he_ was.

**XXX**

"Mon, it's really great of you to agree to help me," Rachel said as she and her best friend sat in her office at Ralph Lauren, flipping through wedding magazines. It had been over a month since Emma's birthday, and with each passing day, Rachel couldn't help but feel more excited and nervous with she and Ross's upcoming wedding.

"Are you kidding?" Monica said. "I _love_ planning weddings! And it's so much easier now that you two have set a date."

Rachel smiled. "Yup, April 9th. So we've got almost five months from now to plan." Not that she had been counting, or anything.

Monica sighed and sat back in the chair she was sitting in on the other side of her friend's desk. "I still can't believe you're marrying my brother. Isn't it weird? I mean, you're gonna be related to Chandler!"

"By _marriage_." Rachel corrected quickly. She knew Chandler was going to make up some sort of 'cutesy' nickname for her that involved the words 'sister-in-law' after she was married to Ross. "But," she continued on, "this is one of the best things that's happened to me."

"Good, good, you're not showing signs of second thoughts," Monica said absently, preoccupied with the notes she was taking. "So, did you call your mom?"

"Oh, I didn't have to," Rachel replied. "She calls at least twice a day. She's asked if we wanted her to take Emma for a weekend so often that I think she's gonna come steal her soon." She knew her mother meant well, but she was starting to become obsessive. Sandra always seemed to find a reason to call, or visit, or e-mail, these days. "Hey, where are the guys?"

"Oh, Joey was going to meet Chandler at his office, and they were gonna have lunch," Monica said.

Rachel nodded. "It's too bad Joey's leaving right before Thanksgiving. It's been so great having him back around here."

"Yeah. So, are you and Ross coming over for the big dinner Thursday?"

"Of course," Rachel agreed. She had flashbacks to the last ten Thanksgivings she had had with her friends in the old apartment. "Wow, this is gonna be our first Thanksgiving without the whole group."

Monica nodded. "Well, Joey wanted to spend it with his sister back in California, and Phoebe and Mike are going to his parent's house. It's just gonna be you, Ross, Chandler, me, my parents and the kids. Think of it as your first official family party as a Gellar, since you're joining the fold soon." Rachel gave a sheepish smile, and Monica grinned. "Of course, you've been family since high school."

"When you say it like that, it makes me kind of nervous."

"Don't worry about it, my mother will only shower you with affection and leave the biting comments for me." Monica rolled her eyes as she mentioned her mother. "She's really happy you and Ross are getting married," she added kindly.

"Well, good. I'm glad." Secretly, Rachel was thrilled Judy Gellar had accepted her so quickly, even after all she and Ross had been through. The Gellar's opinion meant a lot to her.

Monica stood with her purse. "Well, I gotta do some errands before my mom brings the kids back to the house." She picked up the magazines she had been going through. "I'll call you later," she promised.

"Bye, Mon."

Rachel smiled as her friend closed her office door. She was beyond ecstatic at this point; there wasn't a word for how she felt. Everything seemed good.

The door opened again and Rachel looked up to find her assistant, Samantha. "Ms. Green-"

"I've told you," Rachel cut off with a mock-sigh. "I sound old when you call me that. Please, just use 'Rachel'." She had never really liked when people her own age used formalities with her like that.

Samantha smiled a bit. "Alright, Rachel, Ross is on the line. He sounded urgent."

A thousand possibilities raced through her mind at those words, but Rachel calmly nodded. "Uh, thanks."

Samantha exited, and Rachel nervously picked up the phone. "Hello?"

She listened to the other end. "How long has she had it?" Beat. "And it's not going down?" Beat. "I'm coming home." Beat. "No, I'm leaving. Bye."

She grabbed her purse and rushed out of her office. "Samantha, I've gotta get home," she yelled after her and she caught an elevator.

**XXX**

The door opened and shut loudly, and Ross hurried out of Emma's room, carrying his daughter, who was crying at the top of her lungs. "Rach, I told you not to come home," he sighed when he saw it was his fiancée.

"Well, I wanted to make sure," Rachel said as she took Emma from Ross. "Oh, sweetie, I know you must be uncomfortable. Did you call the doctor?" she asked Ross.

Ross nodded. "Yeah, he said to call him back if the fever doesn't go down in an hour. It was at 100.8 when I just checked." Rachel sat down on the couch, still bouncing Emma. Ross shook his head. "Rach, you didn't have to rush home. She'll be fine."

"Well, I..." Rachel obviously didn't have anything to say to that. "I'm her mother, I should be here."

"And I'm her father, and we were okay. It's a fever, kids get them all the time," he replied. Ross knew Rachel had always felt a bit overprotective of their daughter. "I'm sure it's just a cold or flu or something. The same thing has happened to Ben, and he's fine."

"She's never gotten a temperature this high," Rachel pointed out as Emma's cries slowly subsided.

"I know," Ross agreed, sitting beside her and rubbing her arm. "Look how she's calming down," he said quietly. "You know, you're a great mother." He didn't know why he said it, but Ross knew it was the right thing after Rachel smiled slightly.

"I _have_ had two years of practice."

"I know, but I don't think I tell you that enough. Think of all the practice you'll have by our next kid." Ross hadn't thought through the words that were coming out of his mouth, and the second he had said that, he knew he had screwed up. Rachel was too quick for him to fix it.

"Another, uh, kid?" she said slowly as she whipped her head around at him.

_Think faster_, he commanded his brain. "Oh, I mean, uh... _if_ we had another kid."

"You-you think we should have another kid?" Rachel glanced back down at Emma, who had fallen asleep.

Ross wanted to beat his head against the table for being so stupid as to let those words slip. "Uh, maybe someday. If you wanted to." _Somebody stop me_! he pleaded.

Rachel blinked. "Wow. Uh..."

"I'm sorry, that was probably one of the stupidest things I could say right now."

"No, no it's good, now I know how you feel about the subject."

The uneasy silence that had been threatening since the words had come out of Ross's mouth finally settled in between them. He didn't know why he said these idiotic things whenever it was great between he and Rachel. '_We were on a break!' _came screaming back at him at that moment.

"She doesn't feel as warm," Rachel finally said, feeling Emma's head as the little girl slept peacefully, though her breathing sounded nasal, which indicated to Ross that she did in fact have a cold.

"Good. That's a relief." Ross wasn't paying much attention, he was too busy berating himself.

"Yeah." Rachel didn't sound so close, either.

**XXX**


	9. Joining The Fold

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: So, this chapter is kinda long, I guess. Hope everyone is having a good October. It's beautiful here in Massachussetts right now; the colors are amazing.

Getting all this positive feedback is great. Thanks so much, dudes. And thanks **diehardRRfan** for being faithful in your reviewing :). I love hearing from all you guys, since I'm just like you: obsessed with this show.

Or maybe I'm just making a fool of myself. Heh.

**XXX**

Ross shook his head as he, Rachel and Emma entered Monica and Chandler's home to have a Thanksgiving meal. He could hear his sister and brother-in-law bantering from the living room, and stood in the kitchen doorway to watch as Rachel set Emma down on the floor.

"Oh, come on you big baby, stir the gravy," his sister said teasingly.

Chandler looked suspicious. "Only if you don't beat me with the spatula again."

"I didn't 'beat you with the spatula', I merely brought you back to the task at hand," Monica mocked, and Ross bit back the laughter threatening to burst inside him.

As Chandler was about to retort, Rachel cut in, entering the kitchen. "Hey guys!"

The couple turned and smiled at the sight of their friends. "Happy Thanksgiving!" Monica said, hugging her brother and best friend.

"Wow, we didn't even hear you guys come in," Chandler commented.

Ross shrugged. "You guys were pretty wrapped up in gravy."

He saw Rachel stifle back a chuckle, and the four stood in the kitchen, reveling in the comfortable silence. There was something about how familiar the sound of Monica frantically rushing around the kitchen to make sure everything was perfect, and the company that currently occupied the room at that moment, that let Ross know that this first intimate meal between the Gellar's and the newest additions wouldn't be weird or nervously-charged. Ross figured the only things missing were Phoebe and Joey, but they could learn to not expect their friends to bound in the door at any moment.

Once again the front door opened and closed, and Ross heard his mother call, "Is anyone here?"

"In here mom!" he called back.

Jack and Judy entered and smiled at the group. "We knocked four times," Jack said, and Monica shrugged.

"We couldn't hear it from in here," she replied.

"Well, dear," Judy started in, glancing at her daughter, "maybe you should've had someone waiting for us, since you knew we were coming at this time."

Monica sighed out a "Yeah, mom,"and turned back to put the gravy in a gravy boat. Ross shook his head; he'd never understand why his younger sister got the brunt of their mother's criticism.

"Rachel!" Judy said loudly after getting over her daughter's obvious brush-off. She hugged her future daughter-in-law. "So good to see you!"

Ross could tell Rachel didn't know what to do. Sure, she had interacted with the elder Gellar's as Monica's best friend, then Ross's girlfriend, then his ex-girlfriend, then the mother of his child, but never as a future family member. He hoped things wouldn't be awkward, considering all that was behind them.

"Nice to see you too, Judy," Rachel replied as she patted Judy's back lightly before letting go. "Happy Thanksgiving," she said to both of her fiancée's parents.

After everyone was settled into the dining room and Monica had spread out the food, the wedding talk began.

Jack grinned at his son as he helped himself to some cranberry sauce. "So, we haven't seen you two since the big announcement."

"Yes," Judy agreed after taking a bite of the turkey, "How are the wedding plans coming?"

Ross grinned. He couldn't help it, whenever they were talking about his upcoming wedding to Rachel, he felt giddy. "They're great. Rachel's dad actually pulled some strings, and it's going to be at _The Plaza_."

"Hey, hasn't your dad gotten you _The Plaza _before?"Chandler asked casually, but everyone ignored him. Rachel had told Ross how her father had booked it before, when she had first told him she was pregnant. Ross knew that even if he didn't like him much, Dr. Green still wanted the best for his oldest daughter.

"That will be beautiful," Judy said, and the others agreed. "And, uh, is Joey officiating?" she questioned carefully.

"Yes, he is," Rachel piped up.

Ross saw his mother's face fall slightly, but she kept up appearances. "How... wonderful."

"Hopefully this time he won't forget anything," Chandler cracked, and Monica sighed at the memory.

Ross nodded. "Yeah, that'd be good," he said, though he knew something wacky was bound to come up.

Jack smiled across the table at Rachel. "I still can't believe you two are getting married," he said. "It feels like just yesterday Ross was trying to impress you with his 'music', and you showed no interest at all."

"Hey! We had some good songs!" Ross defended as Rachel ducked her head, embarrassed.

Chandler shook his head. "No, we really didn't, man."

Monica was chuckling. "I still can't believe what losers you two were in college."

Ross was feeling even more defensive. "We weren't _complete _losers. Remember Edwin Pepper?"

"Oh yeah, Peppy," Chandler said slowly, reminiscing with a far-off look. "Didn't he try to be our groupie?"

"Man, that was so long ago. Remember the first Thanksgiving we all had together?" Rachel asked, smiling around at the room.

"Funny how we all ended up back here together," Monica commented with a small smile at her husband.

"I, for one, never thought it would happen," Jack stated.

Judy nodded, "Yes, we've gotten many...," she searched for the correct word, "_surprises_ since then."

Ross looked back on the time since that first Thanksgiving, and smiled at some of the things that had transpired. "A lot of them have been good, though."

At those words, the dining room went silent as everyone fell into a reflective silence. Ross hadn't realized just how easy this evening had been until now. He glanced around to each person sitting at the table: Monica and Chandler at either end, smiling at each other, Jack and Judy on one side, and he and Rachel situated on the other side. It was like destiny had led them all back to these spots, proving that this was what family was. He had been worrying that Rachel and everyone else would feel uncomfortable in this new and most-likely permanent situation.

Chandler seemed to be getting ansty, and Ross knew what was coming. "Y'know," his friend began, "I think it's time for my annual Thanksgiving story-"

"No!" the other five shouted in unison, and at that moment, Ross knew everything was going to be okay.

**XXX**

Rachel smiled as she fingered through the new pictures she had just gotten developed. They weren't really centered around a specific event; Rachel had found that she was starting to like just snapping photos of random moments that she might want to look back on later. She came to the last few pictures of just three days ago at Monica and Chandler's for Thanksgiving. There was a nice one of Jack and Judy sitting on the couch, and a cute one of Emma with her twin cousins.

She stopped to examine the final picture from the roll. Someone had obviously taken the camera at some point, because it was a candid one of she and Ross, just smiling at each other on the couch, with his arm draped over the back of her side of the furniture. Rachel brought it closer to her face, scrutinizing she and her fiancée. She had to admit that out of all the boyfriends she'd had, she and Ross definitely looked the best together.

"Hey, Rach, I'm heading to the store, anything else we need?" Rachel heard Ross ask from the living room.

Rachel stood and stuffed the pictures back into the packet they came in, except for the one of she and Ross. "I dunno, read the list off to me," she called back as she placed the photos on the counter.

She heard shuffling and knew Ross was moving around Emma and Ben, who was here for the Thanksgiving weekend while Susan and Carol went on a mini-vacation.

"Let's see... milk, orange juice, diapers, soda, condoms..."

Rachel poked her eyed out of the swinging door that was between the living room and kitchen, her eyes growing wide before she glared at Ross.

"I'm just gonna go," he said wisely, and Rachel checked to make sure Ben and Emma hadn't noticed. Neither of them would know what a condom was, right?

_Right_, she assured herself as she entered the living room and walked over to the desk to grab an empty picture frame for the photo of she and Ross. Rachel sat down on the couch to put it in, and Ben sat beside her, leaving Emma to finish coloring in a picture by herself.

"Aunt Rachel?" he asked slowly, glancing at her almost shyly.

Rachel set down the frame and turned to the boy. "Yeah, Ben?"

She could hardly believe he was turning ten in May; it seemed like just yesterday she had been changing his diaper. While he used a short silence to consider what he was going to say, Rachel noticed that though he had Carol's blonde hair, his nose and smile looked just like his father's.

He cocked his head to one side. "You and my dad are getting married, right?"

Not knowing where this was going, Rachel nodded. "Right."

"But that one time you taught me all the pranks, you said you and my dad used to date, but you broke up and you weren't in love anymore. How come you're getting married now?"

Rachel slumped her shoulders a bit, trying to figure out how to explain the situation. Sometimes it was even too complicated for her to bother. "Well, Ben, your dad and I broke up a _long_ time ago, and we stayed apart for awhile-"

"But you had Emma and you two didn't love each other," he cut in, and Rachel wanted to groan.

"Uh, yeah, that's a whole _other_ story," she said.

"If you're talking about where babies come from, I already know about that, my mom told me."

Rachel wondered how he could say that and still sound naïve and innocent, but didn't bother pondering the subject much more. She still had a few years until Emma was asking that question. "Alright, but the whole thing about your dad and I not loving each other isn't totally true. Your dad and I have always loved each other." _There, that sounds good_. Rachel nodded in accomplishment.

Ben still looked confused. "Then how come you didn't get married before? Was it because of the 'break' thing?"

_Ah, if only I could explain the whole thing_, Rachel thought. "Because... we weren't ready to be married then. But we are now."

Accepting this, Ben shrugged. "Okay."

The two sat there for another minute, and Rachel knew he wanted to ask something else. She was just glad he hadn't brought up Emily, or the fact that she and Ross had gotten married in Vegas. _Did he even know about that?_

"Is there something else, Ben?" she prompted.

"Since you and my dad are getting married," he started, "what should I call you? 'Cause you won't be my Aunt Rachel anymore, you'll be my step-mom."

Rachel considered. "I guess you can just call me Rachel, since you have your moms and your dad."

Satisfied, Ben smiled. "Okay. Thanks, Rachel." He hugged her quickly and then rejoined Emma on the floor.

Watching them, Rachel couldn't help but smile herself.

**XXX**

"Aw, it's so great that you're having a baby," Rachel said as she patted Phoebe's stomach. The two were seated in Phoebe and Mike's living room.

"I know," Phoebe agreed. "Who knew we'd all have kids at the same time?"

"Yeah, who thought I'd be the first one to have one, too?" Rachel asked with a chuckle. She sure hadn't.

Phoebe took a sip of her tea. "Actually, technically, I was the first one. I had the triplets, remember?"

"Uh... yeah," Rachel nodded, not wanting to get Phoebe upset. Lately, she'd become even more temperamental. "So," she said as she grabbed the bag she had brought over to the apartment, "this is all the maternity stuff you gave me, which I'm giving back to you."

Phoebe pulled out the Santa pants, which Rachel hadn't even worn. "Oh my God! I loved these pants!"

Rachel eyed them. "Yeah, have fun with those." As Phoebe set them down, Rachel cleared her throat. "Uh, Pheebs?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you're probably not sure right now, since you're pregnant and all, but I was wondering if, uh, you still wanted to be my maid of honor," Rachel said, feeling almost stupid for some reason.

Phoebe smiled and pulled her friend into an awkward hug. "Of course I do, Rach! It's only fair."

Rachel nodded to herself, glad that was all straightened out. Phoebe let go, and then jumped slightly. "Oh! Guess what I found out?!" she asked excitedly.

Rachel, always eager for gossip, moved in closer. "What? Tell me!"

"Well, I was talking to Joey yesterday, and he was telling me how in L.A. it's so smoggy that sometimes you can't even see your own hand- which I personally think he was exaggerating about because-"

"What's the news, Pheebs?" Rachel said with a loud sigh. No one ever said she was patient.

"Right, so, Joey likes a girl!"

"Joey likes a lot of girls, you gotta be more specific."

"Okay, well, this girl is _married_." Phoebe stressed the last word scandalously.

"It's not... you or Monica, is it?" Rachel asked slowly.

"No! It's his neighbor! But I guess she's getting a divorce." Phoebe shook her head as she took another sip of her tea. "Man, he's acting like how he did when he was in love with you!"

"Wait, that was so long-"Rachel did a double-take. No one had really mentioned anything that had happened between she and Joey in awhile. It had been a bit of a touchy subject where Ross was concerned. "Wait. He's in _love_?"

"He sure acts like it," Phoebe said knowingly. "Y'know, he really has this tendency to go for the woman he can't have."

Rachel was still trying to absorb this. She wasn't jealous or anything; no, she had Ross, and she loved him. She was just shocked, since Joey had always said she had been the only person he'd ever really been in love with. "Wow. We're all really moving along in the world, huh?" Rachel hoped this girl was good enough for her friend.

"Yeah, speaking of moving," Phoebe said as she stood with only a hint of trouble, "I'm gonna go move to the bathroom."

"Alright, I gotta get to the office anyways," Rachel nodded as she stood also. "Pheebs?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for still being my maid of honor," Rachel replied.

"Hey, a deal's a deal," Phoebe responded, and Rachel grinned as she shut the apartment door behind her.

**XXX**


	10. White Houses

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Sorry for like, the month delay; I know, I suck for it. I've been wicked busy, but I've been trying to also get ahead on my writing for this story and another WIP I'm doing.

Yeah, I totally got the eighth season on DVD this morning, and it only just came out yesterday. Call me crazy, but whatever, I've already watched like, nine episodes.

**XXX**

Everything was perfect right now, Ross decided as he snuggled closer to Rachel on the couch in their apartment. Christmas was only a week and a half away, snow was falling outside in the dark winter night, and he was with the woman he was planning on spending the rest of his life with. He had two wonderful children who he loved more than anything, and the best friends a person could ask for.

Things had been going so smoothly that Ross was afraid he might jinx it somehow. The wedding had, obviously, been the main focus of almost any conversation he had with one of his friends, his younger sister especially. Everyone seemed thrilled that on-again off-again Ross and Rachel were finally making it official.

Rachel shifted slightly and let out a content sigh. "So I got our pictures developed, and the one we want to use for the holiday card came out nicely."

Ross shook his head. "Every time I hear 'holiday card', I can't help but think of the one Mona wanted to send out."

"Poor girl. She had no idea what she was getting in the middle of."

Didn't Ross know it. He had taken an interest in Mona at Monica and Chandler's wedding, not knowing that Rachel was pregnant. Yet even after he knew, he still began dating her. Now, he couldn't tell you what made him go out with her when he was having a baby with a woman he had unconsciously been in love with for what seemed an eternity. He agreed with Rachel: Mona could never have understood what she had gotten in the middle of.

"Hey, this is our first Christmas and Hanukkah together as an actual family," Ross said, realizing.

"Yeah," Rachel agreed, "And it's also your _last_ Christmas and Hanukkah in this apartment."

"That's right," Ross replied, having not thought of it like that. "So I guess this year I've got to get a tree," he considered, thinking of his 2-year-old daughter who was currently sleeping soundly in her room.

"I think Emma would like one." Rachel waited a beat, then glanced up at him from her position resting on his chest. "Wait, you _never_ got a tree? Not even a tiny little one?"

She made it sound as if it were something weird. "No, 'cause Monica would put one up in her apartment." Though the Gellar family was Jewish, they still celebrated Christmas with the traditional tree and presents.

"Oh, don't I know it," Rachel groaned, obviously remembering the many Christmases she was forced into helping set up a tree and decorate it in apartment number twenty.

"Yup," Ross said after a pause, "this time next year we'll be snuggled up by a fire in our own house." Though this was beyond nice, this thought made Ross want to grin in anticipation.

"Speaking of moving..."

"What?" Ross asked, sitting up straighter as Rachel lifted her head of Ross's chest. "Are you having second thoughts?"

Rachel shook her head vehemently. "No, not at all, I was just thinking about my job. I mean, what are we gonna do about Emma every day when I go to the office and you go to your classes?"

Ross considered. He and Rachel had been working their schedules so one of them had their daughter when the other couldn't; and if not, Monica took Emma for a few hours, since she had been cutting back on her hours at the restaurant to take care of the twins, at least until they were older and she felt comfortable enough to send them to daycare. Knowing Monica, she'd never feel that comfortable.

"We could always send her to daycare," Ross concluded.

"Okay, now I know this may sound weird," Rachel began, and Ross waited to hear it, "but I think I'm gonna quit Ralph Lauren." She paused. "For _good_ this time."

For a moment, Ross was shocked. "Wha- what?" Was all the managed to get out. She wanted to leave Ralph Lauren for _good_ this time?

She sat up straighter, setting her hands on Ross's leg as she made her point. "Yeah, you know, I've been thinking about it, and I realized I was happier when I was home with Emma before I got my job back, than I am now that I'm working again." Ross still stared at her. "You don't think this is stupid, do you?"

"Well, uh..."

"Because if you do think it's stupid, then I won't quit. Oh, I can't leave that place, how will we pay for things like the house and car?" She burst out, now rambling, "But then I was thinking I could do something part-time somewhere. No, that's a bad idea. Just forget I even said anything." As if to complete her thought, she folded her hands in her lap and glanced towards the television.

_Now, I can either be an ass, or an extremely supportive fiancé_, Ross thought. It wasn't that he objected to this idea of Rachel's. He just didn't understand how she could go from desperately wanting her job back, to wanting to quit again.

Finally deciding to be supportive, Ross turned her head gently so she was facing him again. "Rach, if you want to quit your job, then do it. It's fine with me either way. I've got it on pretty good authority that I'm not getting fired anytime soon, so if you want some more time to find something else, then it's okay. We've both got money saved up, we can still afford a house." _There, that's good. _And the great thing was, Ross actually felt this way.

Throughout his short speech, Rachel had grown teary-eyed. "Really, Ross?" she asked quietly.

Ross nodded. "Whatever makes you happy, sweetie."

Before he could even accept her first thank-you, Rachel had flung herself on Ross, and he fell back against the couch at her sudden attack. "Oh, you're just the best!" She kissed him, and Ross decided that he had definitely made the correct decision on what to say to her.

They sat there for a moment, just gazing into each other's eyes, with Rachel half on top of Ross, both leaning back against the couch.

"Why did it take us so long to get to this point?" Rachel questioned with a low chuckle, voicing Ross's thoughts. Though, they were pretty far back in his mind, considering the position he was in.

"Well, it was-," he began, trying to be cute.

"Don't ruin the moment," Rachel cut him off, still laughing softly.

"Okay," he agreed, capturing her lips again.

**XXX**

"15...14...13...12..."

The countdown was being shouted by the people who had gathered at Monica and Chandler's for a New Years Eve party. Ross said the numbers aloud with the others, his arm around Rachel. He unconsciously checked his pocket for the paper that he didn't want to forget.

"5...4...3...2...1...Happy new year!" everyone yelled simultaneously, and Ross kissed his fiancée tenderly.

As they pulled apart slowly, Rachel grinned. "Happy new year."

"You know, I think it _will_ be a happy new year. And, uh, to start the year off on a good note..." Ross handed her the paper he had taken from his pocket, "here."

Rachel glanced at him with a quizzical smile, before beginning to read the official-looking document. Ross prayed she'd be pleased as her eyes grew wide.

"Happy new year!" he said excitedly as she read.

"Ross...this says you bought a house." She looked at him, then back at the paper. "The house we were looking at." Another moment, and she kept reading the paper. "You bought a house?!" she said as she laid her eyes back on him.

Ross's heart sank. "You don't like the fact that I bought the house? I mean, I know it's a little pricey, but we'll get a mortgage, and Monica said you'd think this was great. Of course, it _is_ Monica I asked, and she thinks everything is great. It's just, when we were looking at it before Christmas, you said you loved it, and I want to give you the things you love. So I called the owners and put in a price, and they accepted. But there's still time to back out." He became disappointed. "I should've asked you first. I just thought you had really liked it. Sorry."

"Ross?" Rachel asked, and he lifted his head back up to look into her bright eyes.

"Yeah?"

He was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy. Thank you."

Ross's face broke into a broad grin. "Really?" At her nod, he kissed her quickly. "Well, it's no Scarsdale."

This got a laugh out of Rachel, and she kissed him hard, both seeming to forget that other people were around them.

"Wow, Ross," Phoebe said, making her way past them slowly at seven months pregnant, "You must've done something _really_ good to get Rachel to kiss you like that."

The couple pulled away from each other, and Ross let his arm slide down to rest along Rachel's waist. "Actually, uh, we've bought a house."

"Oh, wow!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Where is it?"

"Westchester," Rachel answered, cuddling closer to Ross.

"Oh, you guys are in the same town as Monica and Chandler! How ironic!"

Ross blinked. "We kind of planned it like that, Pheebs. And it isn't too far from the city, so it won't be hard for me to get to classes."

As he finished the sentence, Monica and Chandler popped over. "So, are you guys gonna move?!" Monica asked excitedly.

"Yeah!" Rachel said, and the two friends hugged.

"Man, we just can't get rid of you guys," Chandler stated in all seriousness, and Monica hit him on the chest as she moved on to embrace her brother.

"I think this is great," she said. "When are you gonna move in?"

"There are still papers and forms and deals we need to work out, but they said they wouldn't mind waiting until after the wedding for us to move in," Ross informed the small group.

"Then you guys only have like, four more months in the apartment," Phoebe said as Mike appeared beside her. "Maybe we should move..."

"Let's just do one thing at a time," Mike said, putting a hand on his wife's bulging stomach.

"Aw, I wish Joey was here," Rachel declared.

Ross glanced at the group, knowing what she meant; how it felt like a big part of them was missing. "We can call him tomorrow."

Rachel looked up at him with her big, beautiful eyes that he could never refuse, and he shrugged. "Eh, it is tomorrow, let's call now."

His fiancée clapped and went to retrieve the house phone with Monica in tow. Chandler moved closer to Ross, and put a hand on his shoulder. "So, back to being neighbors, huh?"

"Looks like," Ross replied, grinning from ear to ear.

**XXX**


	11. Better Than Before

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: I'm not sure how long I'm gonna keep this story going. I was thinking of finishing this one a little after R and R's wedding, and then maybe making a sequel-type story that starts up a few months after. But then again, I may not. This story may just last..._forever_!

Your reviews are going to give me a big head, guys. Not that I want them to stop or anything...hehe. **amelia**: Yup, I'm a MA girl.

**XXX**

Rachel rubbed her hands together to warm them up as she entered Ross's part of the building at NYU. It was Valentine's Day, and she had been planning to surprise him for days. Of course, she hadn't considered the almost-below freezing temperature when she had chosen the black strapless dress she was now wearing.

She could hardly believe how well it was going with she and Ross. It felt as if they had started over when they had finally gotten back together for good, and now here they were, celebrating Valentine's Day together again. Rachel was comforted even more by the fact that she knew it definitely wouldn't be their last.

Pulling her coat around herself even tighter, Rachel stood outside of Ross's classroom door. He had stayed late to correct papers, and was unsuspecting to her surprise visit. Seeing the wooden doors open, Rachel grinned automatically. She felt like she was always smiling these days.

Ross stopped in his tracks when he caught site of Rachel, and before he could say anything, she took a few slow steps closer to him. "So? I got a new dress, just for tonight, because this is our first Valentine's Day together in eight years, and I want this one to end perfectly, so we can forget about all our other horrible, past Valentine's Day experiences." Ross looked as if he wanted to add something, but Rachel kept going, this time more seductively, "My mom has Emma for the weekend, so it's just you and me celebrating for _three days _by ourselves."

"Well, that was very kind of her," Ross finally said as Rachel stood just inches from him. "And may I say how happy I am that Valentine's Day is falling on a Friday this year? _And_ how good that dress looks on you."

Rachel accepted the compliment by way of a long kiss, and before she knew it, the two of them were becoming swept up in the moment, until someone clearing their throat broke them apart.

Glancing at Ross, Rachel blushed at being seen by the older man who had been passing them by.

"Uh, Professor Pont, how nice to see you," Ross nodded. "This is, uh, my fiancée, Rachel."

Rachel gave a small wave. "Hi."

The professor looked stern, but also amused. "Yes, hello. Professor Gellar, I'm hoping you two are going to be taking... _this_, outside?"

Now beyond embarrassment, Rachel nodded along when she saw Ross doing the same. "Oh, yeah, we were just leaving."

Rachel flashed a smile at Pont, then followed Ross quickly out of the building, back into the chilly night, except now, she didn't care. She started giggling.

Ross looked at her, confused, and also annoyed. "What? What, you think that was funny? I was just caught making out with you in there by a colleague of mine!"

This made Rachel giggle louder, until it turned into a loud laugh. She didn't know why she was so giddy.

Finally Ross began chuckling and shaking his head. "We just got caught making out like two teenagers in the place of my work."

Composing herself as best as she could, Rachel sighed. "Well, that's one way to start our Valentine's Day date."

Ross nodded, still smiling, and the two began walking down the street. Rachel brightened when she felt Ross's hand find hers, and couldn't imagine a better man for herself.

"So, do you have anything else up your sleeve?" Ross asked.

"Hey, you're the one with the sleeves, mister," Rachel told him. "It's your turn."

"Well, you're in luck, because I made us reservations for a place at 8:30."

"Oooh, where?" Rachel glanced at him, curious.

Ross just shrugged indifferently. "It's a surprise."

They kept walking, and every time they bumped against each other, Rachel felt her heart beat a little faster.

She had somehow forgotten in all those years how incredible Ross Gellar made her feel.

**XXX**

Rachel tripped into the apartment behind Ross a little after midnight, feeling amazing, albeit a bit tipsy. She tried to straighten herself up, and placed her purse on the coffee table in front of the couch. It took Rachel a moment to remember that Emma was with her mother for two more days, for she had almost gone to check in her daughter's room. Ross was still chuckling over a joke he had made right before they had entered the apartment.

"So how did you know I've been dying to go to _George's _since it opened?" Rachel asked once she had composed herself enough to think straight. Or, at least, as straight as she was going to get at the moment.

"Monica said you had been talking about it," Ross answered, laying his jacket over the desk chair.

Rachel gave him a half-smile when he turned back to face her, and closed the few steps between them to kiss him. She felt like if she didn't, she'd be breaking some unwritten law.

When they parted, Ross was grinning like an idiot. "What was that for?"

"For giving me the perfect Valentine's Day," Rachel replied, letting her hand that had been on his cheek slide down to rest on his chest.

"It's not over yet." Ross waggled his eyebrows, then suddenly grabbed Rachel and lifted her into the air, newlyweds-style.

Caught off-guard, she let out a loud, girlish squeal. "Ross, what are you doing?!"

"Practicing. The real thing _is_ only two months away."Ross sobered up, losing the suave attitude, "and I-I just want tonight to be special."

"Why?" Rachel felt her voice becoming softer.

"Because I want to show you that I love you, and nothing is going to change that; not work, not friends, not family."

Rachel knew the alcohol was wearing off when she began speaking, "I understand that, Ross. And I love you too." She looked into his deep eyes, seeing how much he wanted to please her. "It's not _like_ however-many years ago anymore. We know now that we were just stupid and not ready to be... us. But over the years, we've just _become _us, without even being together. And in two months we're making it official."

Ross didn't reply, and Rachel didn't expect him to. They just stayed in the same position: Ross holding her up in his arms, both never tearing their eyes away from the other. Rachel wondered if you really could get lost in someone's gaze.

"Rach?" Ross shattered her musings.

"Yeah?" She still sounded dreamy.

"Uh, I'm gonna have to put you down, 'cause it's starting to hurt..."

"Oh!"

She jumped out of his arms and once balanced on the floor, looked at him with a laugh. Her laugh was silenced quickly, though, as Ross's lips met hers and she was officially a goner.

**XXX**

"Ross, can you get that?" Rachel yelled sleepily from the bedroom as the phone rang continuously. A glance at the digital clock on her nightstand told her it was almost noon; she had slept later than normal, figuring that Ross was taking care of getting Emma up and dressed.

However, when Rachel went to turn over, she felt a small lump cuddling up to her side and lifted the blankets to find her daughter napping beside her. At Rachel's movement, Emma opened her bright blue eyes slowly, and once catching sight of her mother, sat up quickly. "Mommy awake!"

Rachel felt the urge to hug her daughter close. "Yeah, sweetie, I'm awake." The phone was still ringing. "Now why isn't daddy picking up the phone?" she asked.

Emma looked at her and shrugged.

Ringing ceased, but started up again in another minute. Rachel hauled herself out of bed, lifting Emma and walking into the living room. For some reason, the telephones were never in the right places.

Setting Emma down on the couch, Rachel spotted a note Ross had left under the newspaper. "Of course he can't get the phone if he left half an hour ago to post grades outside his classroom...," she said aloud.

"Man, this thing rings forever," Rachel declared to no one in particular when she located the phone. "Hello?"

"_Hello_?" someone asked on the other end, sounding rushed.

Rachel tried to place the male voice. "Mike?"

"_Rachel_?

"Yeah. What's going-"

He interrupted her before she could finish. "_We just got to the hospital. Phoebe's water broke, and so we left, and now we're here, and it's early for the baby to be born, and-_"

"Okay, Mike, take a deep breath," she instructed. "I'm sure it's all going to be fine. I'll call Ross on my way there, and we'll be at the hospital soon."

"_Okay. See you soon_."

Mike hung up abruptly, and for a moment Rachel stared at the phone. That had probably been the quickest conversation she had ever had.

Once snapping back, she began scrambling around the apartment, trying to change as fast as she could. Finding her purse was difficult, but she still exited the apartment in good time.

She made it as far as almost locking the door when she realized she'd forgotten the most important thing.

Two minutes later, Emma in her arms, Rachel headed out to the hospital, already phoning Ross. She hoped for Phoebe's sake it wouldn't take as long as having Emma did.

**XXX**


	12. Memories and Births

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends

**A/N**: I've been in a bit of a writing mood lately, so I cranked out another chapter for you guys (and it's actually pretty long!). I guess that's what post-nasal drip does to a person. (Uh, too much info. Sorry.)

These reviews help me so much to keep going. It's good to know people are actually liking what I write. Remember: be honest!

**XXX**

Emma was bouncing up and down on Rachel's knee as the two sat in the waiting room of the maternity ward. The little girl had her favorite stuffed animal, a dog her 'uncle' Joey had gotten her. "Doggy woof," she said proudly, glancing at her mother for approval.

"That's right," Rachel praised, now letting her knee bounce along with Emma. "Dogs do go 'woof'."

The two-year-old went back to her stuffed dog, and Rachel felt her mind drifting. She stroked Emma's blonde hair unconsciously, remembering when she had been in the same position as Phoebe only two years ago. Back then, she couldn't have even imagined loving anything as much as she loved her daughter.

The light blue doors flew open, and Monica walked briskly into the waiting room, all business. Once spotting her friend, she made her way over to the small couch.

"No Chandler?" Rachel asked of her other friend.

"One of us had to stay with the babies, and Phoebe supposedly requested _I_ come, so here I am." Monica looked around. "Where's Ross?"

"I called him, he should be here soon."

Emma seemed to be getting bored with her stuffed dog, and started trying to wriggle away from her mother. Rachel let her off her lap, and the little girl rushed a foot away to play with one of the children's toys the hospital had left out. Both women watched Emma for a time, something Rachel felt she could do for hours and not get bored with.

Monica turned to Rachel. "I can't believe Phoebe's having a baby. That she keeps this this time," she added. "Have you seen her, or talked to Mike?"

"Yeah, she was just waiting to get to those ten centimeters, which can be a real bitch, by the way, and Mike was with her. She's already at seven."

"Wow, this quick? It took you-"

Monica stopped from the glare she received from Rachel.

The doors burst open again, and this time it was Ross, who was out of breath and looked extremely disheveled. He quickly scanned the waiting room, then made his way over to his sister and fiancée.

"Honey, why are you out of breath?" Rachel asked carefully, watching Ross puff in front of them.

"I couldn't," he panted, "get a cab," pant, "and I didn't want to," pant, "miss it, so I," pant, "ran." Once finished, he collapsed in a chair across from them.

Monica looked as if she were stifling a laugh. "Wow, you must be in good shape. Your classroom building is like, almost two miles away."

"Well Rachel made it sound like Pheebs was giving birth now, and I wanted to be here," Ross replied, his breathing returning to normal.

At those words, Rachel cringed. "Yeah, sorry about that, I was just excited. She still has three centimeters to go."

"Oh," Ross sighed, falling back in defeat.

Emma finally noticed that her father was there. "Daddy!" she chirped, making her way over to him. Ross lifted her up onto his lap.

"Where's Chandler?" he asked.

"With the twins," Monica answered.

Emma began playing with Ross's tie, and Rachel couldn't believe how natural the father and daughter looked together. No matter how often people said Emma looked like her, she saw so much of Ross in their daughter.

Ross caught her eye. "Can you believe two years ago _we_ were doing this?"

"_We_?" Rachel repeated. "_I_ was the one who had to go through the actual birthing process." She knew the statement wasn't true, but she felt like bickering a bit.

"I stand corrected," Ross said. "Can you believe two years ago," he looked pointedly at her, "_you _were doing this all by yourself with no help from me at all?"

"Well, I guess you did help a _little_," Rachel admitted, hiding her smile.

"Yeah, as much fun as watching you two flirt _is_," Monica interjected, "I'm gonna go check on Phoebe."

She stood up and, after getting the room number from the desk, left the waiting room. Ross lifted Emma and situated himself in the seat his sister had just vacated. Emma settled back against her father's chest. Rachel stroked her daughter's head, thinking that the scene would make a great Kodak moment.

"You did great," Ross said suddenly.

Rachel lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh...thanks? What are you talking about?"

"When you had Emma. You did really great."

"Well..." Rachel said, feeling flustered by his kindness, "I had a supportive coach."

They smiled at each other for so long that a woman waiting by them actually chuckled to herself. Rachel turned away first.

"Ross," she began, voicing what was on her mind, "after Emma was born, and after the whole 'proposal' mess... did you really want to get back together?"

He looked bashful, and Rachel was so glad they could finally talk about all these things that had happened to them without any arguments or resentment. "Yeah, I did."

"Wow. Someone up there _really_ didn't want us together before now," she said.

"I know. I still can't believe all this stuff happened to us while we were apart. It feels like we've always been together now."

Rachel put her hand over his, so that the engagement ring glittered for both to see. "Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore."

"So, did you find your dress?" Ross asked conversationally.

"Uh huh," Rachel said, picturing the dress she had chosen out in her mind, "with Monica and my mom. All that's left is getting Phoebe's dress, and triple-checking everything."

Monica reappeared, this time with a jumpy Mike following behind her.

"She's about to be moved into delivery," Mike told them, dazed.

"Oh, that's great!" Rachel enthused.

"Yeah, good luck," Ross nodded to him.

"Make sure she knows we're all out here," Monica said.

Mike continued to stand rooted to the spot in front of them, staring ahead towards the wall. Monica sighed and turned him, then pushed him towards the doors that led out of the waiting room.

"He's a nervous wreck," Monica said as she turned back to Ross and Rachel.

"Well, this _is_ his first child. He has a right to be nervous," Ross stated.

"I just hope everything goes okay. She's like, a week early," Rachel commented.

**XXX**

_This place has got nothing on Central Perk_, Rachel thought as she sipped the hospital coffee she and Monica had just gotten in the cafeteria. They had been waiting almost ten hours, and neither she, Monica, or Ross had left yet. Rachel knew she owed Phoebe; her friend had stayed the whole time when she had Emma.

"This stuff is gross," Monica commented, sniffing at the paper cup that held her coffee. "We should go to the coffee house soon, I haven't been in two weeks."

"Definitely," Rachel agreed, and both women dumped their drinks in the first trash can they passed.

When they returned to the waiting room, Rachel had to smile at the sight before them. Ross and Emma had fallen asleep in such similar positions that she'd swear their daughter copied her father.

"Ah, like father, like daughter," Monica voiced from beside Rachel.

She nodded. "Eerie, isn't it? Hopefully she'll get a _few_ of my qualities."

Monica nodded. "Of course she will. She's like your mini-me, in looks."

Rachel had to agree. There was no doubt at all that Emma was Rachel Green's daughter.

Mike stumbled into the waiting room only seconds after they had arrived back, and both women jumped up at the sight of him. Rachel nudged Ross to wake him up.

"So?" she asked nervously.

"It's...a boy," Mike stated proudly, looking excited and terrified all at once.

"Aw, that's great!"

"Congratulations!"

"Yeah," Mike said, sitting down slowly. "I just...can't believe it. I'm a dad." He began smiling. "I have a son."

"It's a great feeling, isn't it?" Ross clapped Mike on the shoulder with his free hand, the other holding up a sleepy Emma.

"I'm gonna call Chandler, then Joey," Monica said, giving Mike a quick squeeze on the arm.

"Hey, you two can go if you want. Phoebe is just resting now, they said no visitors for a few hours, and it's pretty late already," Mike told them.

"Yeah, we should probably get her home," Rachel said, indicating Emma, who had fallen asleep again on Ross's shoulder.

She hugged Mike tightly, Ross shook his hand, and the two gathered their things to leave.

"We'll find Monica and tell her we're leaving," Ross said. "Congrats again, man."

"Thanks," Mike replied dreamily, standing up and exiting the waiting room.

Rachel glanced at Ross, catching his eye. They smiled at each other, and as they left, Rachel felt his free arm snake around her waist.

**XXX**

"So, do you want to head over to the hospital now? I don't have class for another hour and a half," Ross asked Rachel as she hung up the phone. They hadn't gotten home until almost eleven the night before because of traffic by the hospital.

"Yeah, sure,"she agreed. "So that was Monica, and she said Joey's flying out in a few days."

"Oh, wow. That's great."

"Yup. _And_ he's staying with them until the wedding."

Ross glanced at her, surprised. "Monica is _willingly_ letting Joey stay with them for a month?" His sister had never seemed to be the most hospitable person in the world, and even when she was, no one really wanted to deal with her for long periods of time.

Rachel was putting some things in her purse. "Uh huh. But I think she said something about keeping him out of the house for most of the time. She really did it to please Chandler."

"Well, that was nice of her," Ross commented. "So Paula is taking Emma for a walk, so we can get going," he said, grabbing the keys.

Glancing up nervously, Rachel's eyes shifted to the door. "Shouldn't we wait until they get back?"

Ross rolled his eyes. "Rach, she's not going to steal our child."

"Hey! She said she's wanted kids for a long time, but doesn't have any! How can we be sure? It-it could be like that movie!"

"What movie?" Ross asked as he pushed Rachel towards the door.

"You know, the one where, uh, the babysitter steals the baby!"

Grabbing her arm now, Ross pulled her out into the hallway. "I left her a note, let's go."

He wondered sometimes how she had gotten so paranoid.

**XXX**

"He's beautiful," Rachel said softly as she, Ross, and Mike stood by the baby's bassinet. Phoebe was watching on from the bed.

"Yeah," Ross agreed, "He's really great." He glanced at Mike. "What'd you name him?"

"Christopher." Mike stated. "Christopher Michael."

Ross could see Rachel practically melting. "Aw, Christopher Michael Hannigan. You can already tell he's going to have your blonde hair, Pheebs."

"But he has Mike's eyes," Phoebe said as Rachel lifted Christopher and carried him over to his mother.

Ross and Mike looked on for a moment, before Mike turned to Ross, since both women were too busy cooing over the baby. "It's amazing, isn't it? I just can't believe I'm a father."

"You'll get used to it," Ross promised, nodding his head.

"Did you feel like this after your kids were born?"

Ross contemplated the question. "Well, uh, it's hard to compare between the two," he began honestly. "With Ben, it was my first child, so I really didn't know what to expect. But I wasn't going to be his immediate parent; that was Carol. I never wanted to leave him at first, but then I sort of got used to it. I missed a lot of stuff with him."

Mike nodded along sympathetically, but Ross began smiling a bit as he continued, "But with Emma it was different, especially since it was Rachel I had her with. I was around Emma more often for the beginning than I was with Ben, since Rachel and I lived together. And even after she moved out we saw each other every day."

Thinking about his two children brought an even bigger smile to Ross's face. He just couldn't believe how fast they were growing up; Ben was going to be ten in May, and Emma three next October. The two men glanced back at their respective significant others.

"I'm gonna be there for everything with him," Mike said suddenly.

Ross watched Rachel closely. "Good."

**XXX**


	13. Closer and Closer

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Just letting you all know, the wedding takes place in the next chapter, but I think it's gonna take awhile to get out, since I had only written about 2/3 of the script before, and I want to make it wicked good, so...yeah. I'm not sure if I'm going to continuethe storyafter the wedding, or have an epilogue and maybe write a sequel later if I want to.

You reviewers just make my day. The comments are incredibly appreciated.

**XXX**

Ross pressed the level button in the elevator of his apartment building, a stroller in one hand, and Emma holding his other hand. The little girl was staring, fascinated, as the buttons lit up each time they passed a floor.

It had been a week since Christopher had been born, and after he and Rachel had celebrated that fact with their friends, they had gone right back to the wedding plans. Ross could hardly believe it was already March.

In a little over a month, he'd be living in a house. His and Rachel's house; one they'd share and grow old in and raise their children in. He hadn't lived in an actual house since right before he left for college. But the difference between then and now was that now, it was a place he could really call 'home'.

He and Emma exited the elevator once they reached their floor. They made their way down the hall, and when Ross opened the door to the apartment, he was surprised to see Joey sitting on the couch with Rachel.

Rachel turned and smiled at them. "Hey! How was the park?"

"Okay," Ross said, setting the stroller by the door. "It started to rain."

"That's too bad," Rachel said, then motioned to Joey. "Look who's here!"

"Yeah, I noticed him when I walked in, Rach."

Joey shook Ross's hand, fawned over Emma for a bit, then grinned at his two friends. "So, you two, only a month to go! Are you nervous?"

"Not really," Ross said as he sat beside Rachel and rested his hand on her leg.

"Yeah," Joey agreed, "this _is_, like, your fifth wedding."

"Thanks for pointing that out, Joe," Ross said dryly. "And it's only the fourth," he added quietly.

"Well, _I'm _excited," Rachel chipped in, then said, sarcastically, "I mean, I'm actually gonna remember this one."

Joey nodded, still smiling at the two of them. Emma was now attempting to get up on the couch to sit with the grown ups. "Man, you two getting married. It's like one of those fairytales," he said.

"Yeah, it is." Ross shot a smile at Rachel.

"And if it doesn't work out, then you'll get to add another divorce to the list!"

"Ah, yes. Just what I want to do." Ross paused, then asked jokingly, "Why are you here, Joe?"

"Oh, right, well, I was just talkin' to Rachel about what I should say at the wedding," Joey said.

Rachel placed her hand over Ross's. "I think it's safe to say we don't want any 'giving and receiving' mentioned."

Joey's face fell a bit. "Fine. But this is a lot of pressure on me! I mean, this is the third wedding I've had to do for my friends! There's only so much Joey can think up to say to God!"

Ross tried not to laugh. "Well, if you hadn't forgotten your notes, what were you going to say at Monica and Chandler's wedding?"

"I was gonna talk about some memories I had of them."

"Well, that sounds good," Rachel said, nodding her approval.

"Yeah, sure, I got tons of stories of you guys!" Joey looked pleased.

Ross wasn't feeling so sure. "Uh, just so we're clear, how 'bout you run those by us?"

"Well," Joey began, thinking, "there's when you two had that wacky thing when you two liked each other, but you," he looked at Ross, "were with Julie, and then you made the list..."

Noticing Rachel's facial expressions turning sour, Ross interrupted, "Yeah, how 'bout we skip the list part?" He didn't really want everyone who attended the wedding to hear about Julie and the list.

"Right, okay," Joey said, grabbing a pen and some stray paper from the coffee table to write his ideas down on. "Then there's when you two got together..."

He started chuckling, and Rachel looked at him, confused. "What's so funny about that?"

Joey composed himself. "Ah, I was just thinking of those chairs me and Chandler had." At the glances from his friends, he continued, "Uh, anyways, then I guess I could mention how great you two are together, and how Ross was an ass for sleeping with the copy girl..."

"Let's skip that too, Joe," Ross said as Rachel squeezed his hand just a bit too tight. "Just say we broke up."

"Fine, fine. So I guess then I can mention how even though you two were apart after that, you did a lot of wild stuff, like getting married in Vegas..."

"Well, there's no avoiding that," Rachel sighed, loosening her tight grip on Ross's hand.

"...And then how you two cared about each other even though you were both idiots for not getting back together...," Joey continued writing what he was saying on the paper.

"Wait, you all thought we should've gotten back together?" Ross asked, having never heard this before.

Joey rolled his eyes. "Uh... duh. You two were made for each other. Whatever Pheebs calls it... that seafood thing."

"Lobsters?" Rachel helped.

Joey snapped his fingers. "Yup, those." He went back to business. "And then of course there's the whole one night stand that resulted in Emma..."

Hearing her name, Emma glanced up at her parents and uncle, but got bored quickly with them and went back to her toy.

"Could you maybe phrase that a bit differently for the wedding?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, sure," Joey said. "And then I'll finish with... well, how you two are _finally_ getting married now after eleven years of on-again, off-again."

Pleased, Joey glanced at his watch. "Ah, I gotta go. I told Pheebs I'd visit like, half an hour ago. See you guys later."

Rachel and Ross both nodded to their friend, and he left the apartment after patting Emma on the head. Ross kept staring at the door.

"He won't mention anything bad by mistake, will he?" Rachel questioned slowly.

Ross turned to look at her with a 'duh' look, and Rachel sighed. "Crap."

**XXX**

Rachel flipped the large notepad paper quickly as she and Monica sat on a couch at the Bing's house. It was only a week before the wedding, and she felt like she could hardly breathe. Monica was bouncing Jack up and down in her arms while Erica slept in the playpen.

"Oh my God," Rachel began another rant, "what if Ben drops the rings? Or my one of my sisters makes a scene? Or Joey says something stupid?" She stopped for a moment. "Wow, I suddenly realize how you feel _all_ the time."

Monica made a face at her friend. "Okay, I'm gonna ignore your last comment. And by the way, the Joey one? Is inevitable."

"What if Phoebe's dress isn't done in time?" Rachel asked, moving on to another notebook.

"That's kind of hard to imagine, seeing as we picked it up two days ago."

"What if they give the guys the wrong tuxes?"

"Rachel."

At hearing her name, Rachel glanced up at Monica, who was holding a hand out at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Just calm down for a minute. Stop wondering 'what if'," Monica said soothingly.

"Yeah, well, I can't help it!" Rachel explained. "At your wedding Chandler disappeared and Joey almost didn't make it, and then at Phoebe's it snowed and almost didn't happen!"

Monica smoothed Rachel's hair with her free hand. "Rach, we're all gonna make sure this wedding is perfect."

"Promise?" Rachel asked with a long sigh.

"I promise, sweetie. Now just sit back and relax!" Rachel did as she was told, and Monica sized her up. "So, the wedding is in a week. _Obviously_ you're a tad nervous?"

"You know, I haven't been, but all of a sudden... I just can't stop thinking about it," Rachel admitted. "I mean, I'm going to be Mrs. Doctor Ross Gellar." She stopped, then shook her head. "Oh God, now even _I'm_ doing the 'doctor' thing."

"But, you aren't getting cold feet, are you?" Monica asked slowly.

Rachel was almost startled by the question. "No! No, of course not. I love Ross."

"Then just remember that."

Leaning against Monica, Rachel let out a sigh. "I'm so glad you're already married so you can help me."

"I'm happy to help you," Monica assured. "Here I thought I'd never get to help with another wedding ever again, and yet I've helped with both you and Phoebe's."

Rachel lifted an eyebrow. "Okay, you keep saying 'helping'..."

"I wasn't _that_ bad this time compared to the _other_ two!"

"No," Rachel chuckled, "you're right, you've been pretty good about it."

Erica began crying, and Rachel felt, more than heard, Monica sigh. Her friend started to get up, balancing Jack in her arms, before Rachel placed her hand on Monica's arm and said, "Hey, let me get her. I _am_ a mother."

She stood and walked over to the playpen, lifting Erica and rocking back and forth slowly as she made her way back to the couch. Rachel sat back down and just stared at the baby in her arms.

"Wow, they're growing up so fast," she commented wistfully.

"I know," Monica said. "I can't believe they're almost eleven months. It feels like we just took them home from the hospital yesterday."

"Tell me about it, every day I wonder when Emma grew up," Rachel replied. "It still amazes me that all three of us have kids now. Isn't little Chris so cute?" she asked, thinking of their other friends new baby.

"He is. Except for the hair, he looks so much like Mike."

Rachel cooed at Erica as the small girl settled down. She felt Monica's eyes on her, and glanced at her best friend.

"Speaking of kids...," Monica started, "I don't want to sound forward, but are you and Ross gonna have any more?"

Rachel knew her friend meant well by the question, and really she didn't mind answering, but she still felt slightly cornered. "Huh?" was all Rachel got out.

"Sorry, yeah, I shouldn't have asked," Monica said.

"No, wow... it's just weird." Rachel took a breath. "Ross has mentioned the subject before, but it's just... I want to experience marriage before having a baby. Well, _another_ baby."

Monica nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense."

Rachel looked back down at Erica, considering. "I do miss when Emma was first an infant, though. I mean, as bad as pregnancy side effects can be, I guess I'd do it again." And she knew she meant it.

"Really?" Monica sounded surprised.

"Really," Rachel stated firmly. She flipped open the wedding notebook again. "But first I need to focus on making sure the wedding goes without a hitch."

"Alright, back to business!" Monica nearly shouted, getting excited again.

Rachel almost thanked her best friend, but in the end decided not to. She'd never understand how much their short talk had helped to make her less nervous.

**XXX**


	14. Holy Matrimony

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Well, here it is. Ross and Rachel's wedding. This is what the whole story has been culminating to. I hope you all enjoy it. I know I enjoyed writing it.

The reviews have really helped me along these fourteen chapters. I can't thank you guys enough for caring enough to tell me what you think.

**XXX**

"Thanks for coming," Rachel said politely to the guest that entered the large room they were using for the rehearsal dinner. Ross stood by her side, nodding and shaking hands with those who passed by them.

On the outside she looked calm and collected, but on the inside Rachel couldn't feel more nervous if she tried. She was getting married tomorrow. She and _Ross_ were getting married tomorrow. _They_ were getting married tomorrow. She'd been repeating those words in her head all day.

Ross glanced at Rachel and gave her a small smile meant especially for her, and she couldn't help but smile back as they shared a small moment that no one else was allowed to be in on.

"Rachel!" the woman who had just come in said excitedly, and Rachel looked over at her. "It's so great to see you again! It's been so long!"

"Oh, Sue!" Rachel said, giving her a quick hug. "So great that you could come!"

"Hey, I'm Ross," he introduced as he shook Sue's hand. "So, you're Rachel's cousin?"

Sue nodded and her blonde curls bounced. "Oh, yeah! We were really close! Well, I'm gonna go say 'hi' to everyone!"

"God, she's so annoying," Rachel said as Sue walked away. She rubbed her forehead.

"What?" Ross asked, confused.

"Well, she was always following me around! She _is_ two years younger." Of course, Rachel couldn't blame her cousin for wanting to follow her around.

"She doesn't seem to be such a follower anymore, judging by the way she's all over Joey," Ross said, nodding over towards the open bar.

Rachel glanced at her. "Slut," she mumbled, hoping the younger woman didn't pick that certain talent up from her.

Phoebe approached them, and Rachel smiled at her friend. "Hey Pheebs! You really _are_ looking good, I can't say it enough."

"I know, right? You can hardly tell I had a baby two months ago."

"So are you staying until after the toast?" Ross asked.

"Of course!" Phoebe replied, then waited a beat before sighing, "Oh, but I miss Chris so much right now! And it's not that I don't trust Mike, but…"

"Believe me, I understand. It's the first time you've left him," Rachel nodded, remembering the first time she left Emma home with Ross. Except for giving her number to that guy at the bar, the night had been fine.

"Well, I couldn't miss this. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it!" Phoebe said good-naturedly.

Rachel and Ross finished greeting the arriving guests, and the two began towards their parents. Monica and Chandler passed by them.

"Aw, look at you two. You already look like an old married couple!" Monica said, playfully pushing her big brother's shoulder.

"Uh… old?" Rachel asked.

Monica held up her hands. "Hey, it's a figure of speech, okay?"

"So, who's that girl all over Joey at the bar?" Chandler pointed in the bar's direction, and all Rachel could do was roll her eyes.

After milling around with guests for awhile, everyone sat down for the dinner. After drinks were served, Chandler stood at the table the six friends were sharing and hit his fork against his wine glass. Everyone gave him their attention.

"Well, this is my third time doing the best man thing for Ross," he began, "and since this will be his fourth marriage, I'm sort of hurt that I didn't even get to _see_ his first marriage to Rachel. But that's a whole different story." He cleared his throat when Ross and Rachel both glared at him. "So, uh, a lot of you here already know me, but for those who don't, I've known Ross since college. He was _my_ best man, and he did an _excellent_ job then. It's just too bad I'm not having two more weddings to make it even."

This got a chuckle out of some people, but Monica didn't look too amused, so Chandler kept going, "But, uh, what makes this even better, is that I've known Rachel for just as long. And over the years, I've seen the ups and downs these two have gone through, and I'd just like to say on behalf of all of us, I'm glad you two are _finally_ getting married. Of course, you've heard that a lot since you got engaged, huh? So, congratulations Ross and Rachel, two of my oldest and greatest friends."

Everyone lifted their glasses and repeated, 'To Ross and Rachel' as Chandler sat down. Rachel wiped away a stray tear that was falling down her cheek.

"Well, even _with _allthe marriage jokes, that was still good," Ross said from Rachel's side, placing his hand over hers.

"It was great Chandler, thank you," Rachel agreed.

Chandler became bashful. "Yeah, well-"

"You stole my line!" Joey said loudly from next to Phoebe.

The other five looked at him. "Huh?!" Chandler asked.

Joey looked incredulous. "The thing about them '_finally_ getting married'. You stole that from my notes for the ceremony!"

"I didn't steal it from you!" Chandler defended, "_Everyone's _been saying it."

"Yeah, yeah," Joey said. "Hey Rach, do you know who that girl is who was flirting with me at the bar? She was cute."

Rachel threw up her hands and groaned. "No."

**XXX**

"Thanks, Paula!" Monica called after the babysitter as she closed the door to her home.

Rachel was setting down her bag of clothes and makeup that she had packed. The group had kept up the tradition of the girls and guys being separated from after the rehearsal dinner until the wedding the next day. She and Monica had called Monica and Chandler's home, and that left the three guys with Ross and Rachel's apartment. Rachel felt her hands shaking slightly as she opened her small travel bag.

"I'm surprised you left the babies with a babysitter for longer than two hours," she commented to her friend. "It's so not… _you_."

"Yeah, well, it's not every day it's the rehearsal dinner of my best friend's wedding," Monica replied, giving Rachel an affectionate pat on the head after locking the front door. "And Paula said they went right to sleep with no fuss."

"Good. I just hope Emma doesn't give Ross any trouble." Ross had told Rachel that he'd keep Emma with he and the guys overnight so the little girl didn't have to leave her home.

"It'll be fine," Monica said with a wave. She began removing her shoes, but glanced at her friend. "Wow, this feels just like before my wedding. Except you and I are in a different _town_, and Ross, Joey and Chandler are in your apartment. Aw, and Pheebs isn't here."

"I know, it's too bad she couldn't come with us tonight, but she had left Mike with the baby tonight, so I understand." Rachel understood that the new mother wanted to be with her family as much as possible. She sat down on the couch to take off her own shoes. Neither she nor Monica were tired yet.

"So," Monica said, standing in front of Rachel, "_you're_ getting married tomorrow."

"I know," Rachel replied quietly, but she couldn't keep the giddiness out of her voice. She was now so nervous that she knew she wouldn't sleep at all.

"And to my brother, no less," Monica said. She gave Rachel a half-smile and rubbed her shoulder.

"Rach," she began again, and Rachel looked up at her name. "I just want to say that… that I'm so happy you're marrying Ross tomorrow, because you two belong together, and I know he won't screw up this marriage. You're finally going to be my sister. And I love you both."

Rachel let out a small, watery laugh. "Mon, that means so much to me. Ah, look at me crying!"

"When aren't you?"

The two women burst into giggles and hugged tightly.

**XXX**

Ross sat on the couch in his apartment, Chandler and Joey on each side of him. He hadn't slept well the night before; he'd been planning a future, and balancing money, but mostly dreaming of the women he would be marrying.

The three men laughed simultaneously at the TV screen, and then Ross turned it off. "Ah, that was a good one," he commented.

"Yeah. Too bad you have to get married on the day they have the '_Tom and Jerry_' marathon," Chandler said cheekily.

"Maybe it'll still be on after the wedding," Joey said. He slapped Ross on the back. "How 'bout we check it out after, Ross?"

Ross blinked. "Uh, Joe, I'm gonna be kinda busy after the wedding."

"Oh, right." Joey went back to his cereal.

"So what time are we gonna head over to _The Plaza_?" Chandler asked, lifting his feet off the coffee table.

"We'll go pretty soon. Let's double-check and make sure we have everything," Ross said, now feeling the butterflies in his stomach again.

The three men stood from their comfortable positions, and before Ross could even take a step the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find his parents on the other side.

"We're here for our beautiful granddaughter!" Jack announced as he and his wife stepped into the apartment.

"Yes, we're going to bring her over with us when I go to help Rachel," Judy said.

Ross nodded. "Alright, she's playing in her room, let me just get her and her dress."

He left Joey and Chandler to stand awkwardly with the elder Gellars. Chandler, being the son-in-law, tried to break the ice. "So, it's a pretty big day, huh? And it's nice out, not raining or anything. Yup, just blue skies." He smiled a bit, then began singing, "Blue skies, shinin' at me-"

"Chandler, you don't have to sing," Judy said as Ross returned holding Emma's dress, the little girl following behind her father.

"Here she is," he said with a smile.

Judy lifted her granddaughter into her arms and turned to her son. "Well, Ross, this is the last time I'm going to see you until the wedding." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Good luck, dear."

"Thanks mom," Ross replied. "And dad, just tell the desk to give you a key to the room reserved for 'Gellar'."

"Will do, son," Jack said.

Judy nodded to them. "Goodbye."

Emma stretched out her arms to her father, and Ross kissed the top of her head. As he stepped back, he was hit once again by how much she looked like Rachel, especially her eyes. "Bye, sweetie."

"Bye daddy," Emma said as they left.

Ross, Chandler and Joey all stood in silence. Chandler was now holding the tuxes. He held one out. "So, silver's a good color," he commented.

**XXX**

"Wow, Rach, you look amazing," Phoebe complimented as she sat down beside her friend.

Rachel shot an appreciative smile at Phoebe, then glanced back at the vanity mirror. She and Monica had arrived at the hotel a few hours ago, and only moments after they had found the room, Judy, Sandra, and Phoebe had shown up. The five women had spent most of their time getting dressed, putting on makeup, complimenting each other, or giggling for no reason.

"Really?" Rachel asked after a moment, needing to be assured. She unconsciously smoothed out her V-neck, off-the-shoulder wedding dress. The back dipped down so that the white material met at the small of her back, and the skirt part flared out just slightly. She'd chosen out the dress months prior, but was now doubting _all_ her wedding-related decisions.

"Stunning, darling," her mother affirmed as she approached her daughter and stood behind her. She fixed Rachel's hair in a few places.

"I agree, dear," Judy said, walking over with Emma, "The dress is beautiful."

At her daughter's insistence, Rachel lifted Emma and sat her so they both could look at themselves in the large mirror. "What do you think, sweetie?"

"Mommy looks pretty," Emma decided, using her extensive vocabulary. Rachel was proud that her daughter was so smart at two-and-a-half years old.

"Thank you, Emma," Rachel said, kissing her blonde hair and then smoothing it a bit. She hadn't noticed before how quickly it was growing. "I love you," she told her daughter in the mirror.

Phoebe snapped a photo of the moment, and after the momentary flash affects wore off, Emma wriggled off her mother's lap and back over to the few toys that had been brought for her amusement. Monica appeared behind her best friend with Sandra's white veil from her wedding, placing it carefully on Rachel's head. It was her something borrowed.

"Alright," Monica said after the women had ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the bride once more, "I'm gonna go check on Chandler and then the twins. I'll be back before it starts."

"You better!" Rachel called as she exited. "You have to walk down the aisle! And make sure Jill and Amy aren't hitting on any of the married guys yet!" She didn't want to find out what kind of damage her sisters could do.

"I'll go make sure everything's ready. See you in a minute, Rach," Phoebe promised, and left right after Monica.

Rachel turned to face the mirror again. She looked back at herself, not even realizing how right this felt. At her almost-wedding with Barry, she _definitely _hadn't felt like this.

Sandra placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Are you ready, honey?"

Taking a deep breath, Rachel replied, "Yes."

Judy went to her other side. "Ross is going to think you're gorgeous. He won't know what hit him."

"Thanks, Judy," Rachel said, and looked back at the mirror with another deep breath, except this time, she couldn't contain her smile.

**XXX**

Chandler fixed Ross's bow-tie in the room they had gotten to get ready in. "Well, I feel sort of cheated," he started, "since I don't even get to give you the 'don't be nervous' speech. I mean, you didn't even need help with the tux."

"I've practiced a lot," Ross said with an eyeroll.

He, Chandler and Joey had left the apartment for the hotel only two hours prior, but had spent the first half hour at the hotel arguing with the concierge about their reserved room. The disgruntled man had said they weren't part of the 'Gellar' party, and had refused to give them their card to get into the room. Jack had shown up at a good moment, and had fixed things.

"You look good, man," Chandler said as he stepped back, once done with Ross's bow-tie.

"Thanks. Hey, where'd Joey go?" Ross had just realized their third friend had disappeared.

"I think he went to practice outside. He's more nervous than _you_ are."

"Good to know he's taking this seriously," Ross said as he and Chandler scrutinized themselves in the full-length mirror. "And he's been so great. I mean, after his and Rachel's…_thing_, I didn't think he'd take all this so well."

"Well, I think he understands that you guys are just… destined to be together. He loves you both too much to get in the way. Plus, he and Rachel would've never worked." Chandler sounded so sure, but Ross knew that if it were a different time and place, they may have worked _very_ well.

The door opened and Jack and Dr. Green entered the room, both wearing their tuxes and seeming eager.

"They're getting ready. It's time, son." Jack looked to his son and son-in-law.

"All-alright," Ross stuttered, not even meaning to. He took a deep breath as Jack and Chandler exited.

Dr. Green waited, though. "Gellar?" Ross glanced at him, and Rachel's father sighed. "Ross," he corrected.

"Yes, Dr. Green?" Ross asked nervously.

"Thank you for making my daughter happy," he said, with no hint of sarcasm or anything.

Ross was touched. "Wow, uh, that's…"

"Oh, don't get mushy on me now," the older man said as he left the room.

**XXX**

Ross peeked out from the doorway that led into the off-white colored room he was about to be married in. The place looked amazing; Rachel had insisted that there were lilies somehow involved in the wedding, and Ross had readily agreed to anything she wanted, and so lilies were strewn about the room. Around the altar, assortments of different types of flowers stood out for all to see.

Joey was taking his place at the front while the guests seated themselves on the white chairs Monica had picked out. Ross had to hand it to his sister, who had helped with much of the planning: the scene was beautiful.

Ross saw Carol and Susan sit down by a few of his cousins. In the front row reserved for family, Mike sat with baby Chris, who was sleeping soundly in his father's arms. Jack and Erica were both in identical baby seats next to where Ross's parents were going to be sitting. He and Rachel had both agreed early on that their friend's kids should attend, since children were a large part of all their lives. A small group of strings-players sat off to one side. Rachel had wanted them ever since Monica and Chandler's wedding.

"See you up there," Chandler whispered to Ross as he took his place in the procession line.

Ben was following Chandler, but glanced at his dad. "Dad, I'm gonna be extra careful," he promised, already carrying the rings cautiously on a small blue pillow.

Ross didn't reply to either; he was too wrapped up in the moment. Jack and Judy appeared on either side of him as a soft melody began.

_This is it_, he thought as he extended both arms to his parents and they started the slow walk to the altar.

Judy subtley snuck a peak around. "This is a wonderful room," she whispered.

"Yeah, expensive too," Jack whispered back. "Good thing the father of the bride is paying."

Ross rolled his eyes. They reached the front, and he kissed his mother's cheek, then shook his father's hand. They took their seats beside Mike and the babies. Ross stood to Joey's left.

Chandler came next, escorting Monica and Phoebe on either arm. The women were wearing elegant dark red dresses. "You know, this reminds me of our wedding. Ross did the same thing with Rachel and Phoebe," he whispered to Monica, who ignored him.

Phoebe smiled at the crowd. "Yeah, well, we need more friends," she said through her teeth.

The three reached the front and went to their respective posts. Monica noticed Joey mumbling to himself.

"Joey, what are you doing?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth.

He turned slightly so she could hear him. "I'm going over my lines in my head. I'm _not _going to forget anything this time," he said seriously.

Jill and Amy Green were finishing their treks down the aisle now, and both took their spots by Phoebe and Monica.

"Very tasteful," Jill commented, looking around at the room.

Amy nodded. "Yeah, and _we_ didn't even help decorate."

Ben walked carefully down the aisle, making sure to keep the rings on the pillow. When he reached the altar, Chandler took one ring to hold for Ross, and Phoebe took the other to hold for Rachel.

Ben stood next to Chandler. "This is so cool. I like standing up here," he whispered.

Chandler smiled. "That's what your dad said before his _first_ wedding."

Emma started down the aisle now, with Sandra in tow to keep her going in a semi-straight line. The little girl threw flowers at the crowd, hitting some people with them. Ross smiled when he caught sight of his daughter.

"Daddy!" she called once she had completed her short journey, but Sandra placed her hands on Emma's back and directed her to the seats.

"Come, lets sit down, dear," Sandra suggested, and Emma agreed, keeping her gaze fixed on her father and aunts and uncles.

The small group of musicians began playing the traditional 'Here Comes the Bride'. Everyone turned their attention to the back of the room, even Emma, who had been throwing around the excess flowers.

Ross lost his breath when he saw Rachel. He was struck by how incredibly gorgeous she looked, though she'd always been beautiful to him, no matter what.

Rachel smiled when she saw him through her veil, her arm securely tucked into her father's as they made their way down the aisle. It seemed to take forever, and yet at the same time, it was over all too quickly.

"This is it," Monica whispered, the biggest grin on her face.

"I know," Phoebe agreed beside her, watching her best friend walk down the aisle. "How long have we waited for this?"

Chandler, overhearing them but keeping his eyes on the bride, replied simply, "Years."

Rachel and her father reached the altar. Dr. Green disentangled his arm from hers, and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Rachel," he said.

"I love you too, daddy," she replied tearily, swept up in the moment.

Dr. Green gave one last parting look at his daughter before sitting beside his ex-wife and granddaughter. The next time his eldest daughter laid eyes upon him, she'd be a married woman.

Ross was smiling like an idiot as Rachel stepped up to take her place on Joey's right side.

"You're…," Ross began stupidly. "The dress, and, you're so…"

Rachel smiled. "You're not too bad yourself."

Joey looked between them. "Can I start now?" At their nod, he gazed out at the crowd, clearing his throat.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Ross," he glanced at him, "and Rachel," he glanced at her, "in holy matrimony." Excited, Joey gave Chandler a small thumbs up. "All that practicing paid off, huh?"

Ross blinked and looked at his friend. Joey snapped back and moved his eyes back to the crowd. "Uh, anyways… This is actually my third time serving as minister for two of my friends, and both times before I felt that the two were perfect for each other. This time isn't any different."

Rachel wanted to wipe away the tears that were coming down her cheeks, but she felt like if she moved, everything would disappear. Ross was still grinning like a fool, watching her.

"I've known both Ross and Rachel for over a decade, and what a decade it's been, I'm tellin' ya," Joey told the crowd with a small chuckle. He smiled at the two in front of him. "These two seemed right for each other from the very beginning, but I guess everyone except them saw it. They've gone through so much together: dating, not dating, being there for each other, for their friends, having a baby…, it'd take hours to list everything, so I won't, but I would like to say that I'm so happy you guys got your acts together to make it official, and that I love you both. You've been two of the best friends a guy could ask for."

Joey sniffled a bit, as did most of the other guests. Monica smiled across the altar at her husband as Phoebe shot a grin to Mike in the crowd. Ben watched his father and almost-step-mother with interest.

"So, uh, with that," Joey said, composing himself, "let's proceed to the vows. Rachel?"

Rachel accepted the ring Phoebe held out for her, and kept it in one hand, while she held Ross's hand with the other. "Ross…," she began, openly crying and not caring who saw. It was her wedding.

"I've been waiting for this moment for longer than I can even remember," she said honestly, peering into his face. "Sometimes I can hardly believe how lucky I am to be with you, because you're such a caring, sweet, amazing man, a wonderful father, and a loyal friend. I've always been able to count on you, and I've always loved you, even if I had convinced myself I didn't. You've been in my mind since we were little kids, and you've been in my heart since the first night I spent in the city after running away from my spoiled life."

The last part got a few choked-out laughs from her friends standing up at the altar with them.

"You've helped give me everything I'd strived for since then: an independent life, a good career, an incredible friendship, and a beautiful daughter. I've always been able to turn to you for help or advice on _anything_, and I've done my best to try and reciprocate. I've always been scared to make decisions that would change things for me, but when I got off the plane, I knew I was making the most important decision in my life, and for the first time, I wasn't scared. I love you, and I know that I could never live without you."

Rachel did all she could to resist the urge to kiss Ross right then. She placed the gold band on his left ring finger and kissed his hand.

Joey was looking between them, choking up. "Ross?"

Ross nodded to his friend and turned to get the ring from Chandler. He took Rachel's hand in his. "Rachel…," he started, just loving to say her name. "I'd spent so long dreaming of this moment that now that it's here, I just…can't believe it. You'd always been this perfect woman who I spent most of my time since the ninth grade pining over, and I guess in the end it worked." Everyone chuckled.

"I admire you for everything you've done in the past ten years, and I'm indescribably thrilled that finally I'm going to be able to be there for you and everything that life has in store for you, or _us_, actually. I've been through three marriages, and none of them turned out how I wanted, but I just _know_ that this one is going to have a happy ending. Because we deserve that: a happy ending. We've been through so much that sometimes I wonder if all of it actually happened; the good, and the bad. But when I look at you…" He caressed her cheek lightly. "When I look at you I know that everything we've gone through was worth it for this moment. I know I couldn't be happier than when I'm with you, and I'd never trade that feeling for anything in the world. Like I said all those years ago: It's always been you, Rach. I've always loved _you_."

He gently placed the sparkling ring on her left ring finger, and then kissed her hand, as she had done.

Joey was trying to use a tissue without being noticed, but the crowd turned their attention back to him before he could put it back into his pocket. He shrugged and went on, "So, uh, I think we all know the answer to this, but: Rachel, do you take this man to be your husband?"

Rachel beamed at Ross. "I do."

"Ross, do you take this woman to be your wife?" Joey asked.

"I do," Ross stated firmly.

"Then by the powers vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you," Joey took a deep breath, "husband and wife." He glanced at Ross with a smirk. "You know what to do."

Ross nodded and leaned forward as Rachel did, and their lips met for the first time as a married couple. The crowd cheered, and when they broke apart, Ross could've sworn they were at a Knicks game, the applause was so loud.

Rachel couldn't stop smiling. "We did it," she said as he rested his forehead against hers.

"We did it," Ross repeated, taking a breath.

He extended his arm and she accepted, and the two walked back down the aisle, past their family, past their friends, and into their future.

**XXX**

So, did you enjoy the wedding? I hope it was up to snuff. Let me know if you hated it, liked it, loved it, or have no opinion at all.

The end is near. So near, in fact, that it's the next chapter. I'm getting a little misty just thinking about finishing this.

Fear not, however: another Friends fic is coming soon! (And it will be a chaptered one, too!)


	15. Endings and Beginnings

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Friends.

**A/N**: Well, this is it guys. It's been fun to write, and great to get your reviews, but this story has finally come to end. I'd like to thank all you readers and reviewers for appreciating this fic. I enjoyed reading your feedback.

This epilogue is pretty short and to the point, because I didn't feel like prolonging it any longer. I might write one-shot sequel-ish stories sometime in the future, that take place in between this and Birthday Video.

I've got another story going on right now, focusing on Rachel. It's not hard to miss in my archive. And look for another Friends fic, coming soon!

Thank again.

-Kate

**XXX**

Rachel glanced around the coffeehouse at her friends. Everyone was present: Chandler and Monica with Jack and Erica, who were both occupying a lap of each of their parents and fighting over a children's book; Phoebe and Mike and Christopher, who was blinking his wide brown eyes as he examined those present around him; and even Joey, who held his little "nephew" on his lap as he relaxed in the big armchair.

Ross was explaining the newest theory he was teaching in his class at NYU, and Rachel knew her friends were all just pretending to be interested. She nodded along also, but didn't pay close attention. Emma was coloring on the coffee table in front of the couch.

She could hardly believe that one year ago tomorrow, she and Ross had gotten married. To her, it felt as if they'd been married forever.

The year had been one of the best she'd ever had. The honeymoon in Italy had been amazing, and Rachel had been so pleased to have Ross to herself for a whole week. They'd moved into their new house in Westchester two week after they'd returned, and Ross had pleaded with her until she'd agreed to put a pool in the backyard, which made them very popular during the course of the summer with the neighbors who had children. She, Ross and Emma had gone on a family trip to Disneyland at the end of August, and before Rachel knew it, fall had come, along with her sister Jill's sudden wedding with a guy she'd been dating for a few months.

Emma had had her first real birthday party with her new friends from the neighborhood that October, and that Thanksgiving the Gellar's hosted dinner in their new home. Of course, Monica had cooked practically everything, though she had started giving Rachel cooking lessons, and even let her make dessert. Rachel hadn't messed up this time, a fact she mentioned whenever someone grumbled about her cooking. At Rachel's- and Emma's- insistence, Ross finally bought a Christmas tree, but they still celebrated Hanukkah, too. He'd even put lights up in the bushes in their yard.

In the middle of January, Leonard Green announced that he was selling the Green's house where Rachel and her sisters had grown up, and was moving upstate. Sandra stayed with Emma at the Gellar's home so Ross and Rachel could play hookey for a few days for Valentine's Day and go to a bed and breakfast in Connecticut, where Ross had ended up breaking his after falling out of a moving sleigh. Suffice to say, their getaway wasn't entirely perfect.

Winter bloomed into spring without much notice, and before Rachel knew it, she and Ross's anniversary was fast approaching. Married life had been agreeing with her so well that she hardly noticed the time fly.

Now, only a day before April 9th, she sat. Ross finally finished his long explanation.

Chandler clapped. "Bravo," he said.

Ross cocked a brow. "For what?"

"Well, you finally succeeded in putting _everyone_ in the coffeehouse to sleep with one of your stories."

Rachel stifled a laugh. Ross glanced at her. "Why does everyone always think my stories are boring?"

She shrugged, patting his arm. "I thought it was _very_ interesting."

Joey stood, handing baby Chris off to Phoebe. "I've gotta get going," he said, disappointed. "My plane is leaving in a few hours and I gotta pack."

Rachel sighed lightly. Joey had come to visit his friends for a week after the new hit show he was on had finished filming, but he had another job lined up for the rest of the spring.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Joey, and then to Monica and Chandler, who had been housing their friend all week. Phoebe and Mike took their leave soon after, wishing Ross and Rachel a happy anniversary. Emma had moved from her spot on the floor up onto the big orange couch as soon as the adults had gotten up.

Ross waved one last time to Phoebe, who disappeared from the window after a moment, and then looked to his wife. Rachel smiled back at him.

"So," he started, standing up. "Ready to go home?" Emma got up also, taking her father's hand and swinging it in quick motions, her dark-blonde hair swaying lightly.

Rachel nodded and got to her feet. "It was great to see everyone," she commented as Ross snaked an arm around her waist and led her towards the door.

"Yeah. But now that they're gone, we can start celebrating our anniversary early," he chuckled into her ear, sounding slightly seductive.

Rolling her eyes, Rachel lightly pushed him as they exited Central Perk and onto the sidewalk outside. The car was parked only a block away.

"Did you get me anything?" Ross asked casually, his eyes curious.

Rachel shrugged secretively. "Maybe. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

In actuality, she already knew exactly what he was receiving from her. She'd been waiting for the perfect time to give it to him, and when better than their one-year anniversary?

Rachel was pretty sure that no condom companies would be called this time.

**XXX**

_The End._


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